Meet the Mentors
Immerse Yourself
With an expert
Connect with our dynamic water science team.
Get ready to dive in with some of the most passionate minds in water science! You'll join forces with dedicated researchers to tackle vital projects to solve real-world problems and help our region. If you're passionate about a specific area of water science, let us know on your application so we can pair you with the perfect mentor.
Rebecca Abler, Ph.D. & Richard Hein, Ph.D.
Professors of Biology
Location: UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus
Details: You'll join forces with the StreamTeam Manitowoc County Stream Sampling project. As a Freshwater Scholar in this project, you will:
- Investigate water quality in southern Manitowoc County streams that flow into Lake Michigan.
- Learn protocols and experience the streams.
- Develop a research question they will work to answer during the summer.
- Work on two driving research questions: what impact do large-scale stream restoration projects have on water quality, and what impact do land use and environmental contributions have on stream water quality?
- Learn to collect measurements of pH, temperature, flow, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen in the field and bring samples to the lab for ammonia, phosphorus and E. coli analyses.
- Work on a team with undergraduate research students.
- Spend about half their time performing field sampling and the other half in the lab analyzing samples.
Patrick Forsythe, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Location: UW-Green Bay, Green Bay Campus
Details: You'll help develop a more detailed understanding of fish behavior, community dynamics and trends in population abundance is essential for the design and implementation of management and conservation practices. As a Freshwater Scholar, you will:
- Join a team of UW-Green Bay undergraduate/graduate students.
- Explore downstream dispersal of juvenile lake sturgeon on the Menominee River.
- Sample fish communities of Dutchman/Ashwaubenon Creeks.
- Track the movement of northern pike in Lower Green Bay and monitor the population of invasive round goby in the Fox River.
- Explore fish husbandry within our dedicated stream side research facility.
- Become proficient in the deployment of methods used to sample fish populations including backpack electrofishing.
- Understand the basics of how to track animals via advanced acoustic telemetry techniques.
- Be given the opportunity to collect data, conduct a simple analysis and present this information to the group at the end of the experience.
Mike Holly, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering
Location: UW-Green Bay, Green Bay Campus
Details: The problem: Excessive algal production depletes dissolved oxygen in Green Bay, harming fish. Agricultural runoff adds nutrients to the Great Lakes, driving algal blooms. But you can be part of solution! Constructed wetlands and reactive media can remove phosphorus from runoff, improving water quality. As a Freshwater Scholar, you will:
- Measure nutrients in water quality from constructed wetlands and reactive media.
- Sampe flow through columns.
- Assist in water quality measurements using state of the art technology.
- Facilitate the fabrication of reactive media.
- Organize and analyze data.
- Be part of a team of undergraduate, graduate and postdoc researchers studying environmental engineering technology, chemistry and environmental science.
- Present the results for a media you worked on to staff and students at the completion of the summer.
Erin Giese
Oneida Bird Monitoring Program
Location: UW-Green Bay, Green Bay Campus
Details: UW-Green Bay’s Cofrin Center for Biodiversity, NEW Bird Alliance and Audubon Great Lakes collaborate with the Oneida Nation on the Oneida Bird Monitoring Program (OBMP). This volunteer program monitors birds at restoration sites on the Oneida Nation Reservation. With the help of over 100 dedicated volunteers, we conduct surveys of breeding grassland, marsh and forest birds, as well as migratory shorebirds and waterfowl, at five restoration sites, documenting over 200 bird species. We would love to engage a high school student who is an enrolled Oneida citizen (or from another Tribe) in our project. As a Freshwater Scholar, you will:
- Assisting with bird, anuran or plant monitoring in wetlands, prairies and forests.
- Assist with project outreach (e.g., community day, bird walks).
- Help with camp activities for Oneida children.
- Learn about restoration of wetland and prairie habitats, wildlife surveys, environmental education and Oneida culture, history and language.
Titus Seilheimer, Ph.D.
Fish Specialist with Wisconsin Sea Grant, partnering organization in the Manitowoc area
Location: UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus
Details: If you love fish (or fishing) this is the project for you! Join Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Fisheries Specialist Titus Seilheimer for a summer of field experiences in streams and wetlands. Based out of Manitowoc, the project team, including you, the Freshwater Scholar, will be mainly in and on the water, with some lab and remote work to include:
- Conducting stream monitoring in Two Rivers and Port Washington in order to assess conditions before restoration projects.
- Collecting fish and monitoring wild rice on western Green Bay coastal wetlands.
Erin Berns-Herrboldt, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Water Science
Location: UW-Green Bay, Green Bay Campus
Details: Dive into groundbreaking research on water quality! This project has two primary areas: 1) evaluating arsenic release from groundwater aquifer sediments and 2) determining phosphorus cycling in streambank sediments. As the Freshwater Scholar, you will:
- Support a graduate student conducting experiments of metals leaching from aquifer sediments. The work includes lab scale batch experiments and some field work for groundwater sampling, well sediment collection and water level data analysis.
- Conduct preliminary experiments evaluating the role of oxygen in phosphorus sorption experiments. The work includes both lab scale batch experiments and field work on the Wisconsin River collecting streambank porewater samples and sediments in collaboration with other researchers.
Paul List
Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust
Location: Partnering site based in the Appleton area
Details: Join the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust (NEWLT) with nearly three decades of working to preserve the health of the Green Bay watershed by protecting properties throughout the region. Recently, NEWLT grew their conservation work by developing and expanding ways to connect with the community in environmental education and action to promote ecosystem health. As a Freshwater Scholar with NEWLT, you will:
- Help to plan, implement and evaluate conservation engagement programming throughout the summer
- Work with community groups as well as public events
- Be involved in participatory science
- Engage the community in collecting biodiversity data on NEWLT public preserves to inform management efforts and contribute to conservation research.
- Take the lead in planning and hosting a public event in August as your capstone project!
Jessica Johnsrud
Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve
Location: Partnering site based in the Two Rivers area
Details: Freshwater Scholars at Woodland Dunes will primarily work with Jessica, participating in programming aimed at environmental science education and stewardship. Jess has been with Woodland Dunes since 2009, first as a volunteer and then a staff member. She is a graduate of UW-Stevens Point with a BS in Biology. She is responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of educational programs and assists the director. Her favorite bird song is the black-throated green warbler, and she enjoys birding, reading and cooking. As a Freshwater Scholar working with Jess, you will:
- Assist with teaching nature-themed day camps for children
- Help plan and prepare environmental education programming for children, adults and families, participating in citizen monitoring (e.g., water testing, bat surveys, bird surveys)
- Assist with land management
- Help overall operations of the nature center and preserve
- Work with a team of Woodland Dunes staff, undergraduate interns and volunteers.
Thirsting for more info?
Meet Samantha Betancur, Camps and Outreach Coordinator. She works with faculty and surrounding community partners to create STEM-focused opportunities to propel local students to success. If you have questions about our program, she can help!