Grow explains, “Nearshore conditions in mid-Lake Michigan can change quickly, yet historically there have been few site-specific, continuously operating observing platforms in this region.” In 2023, a grant from the Fund for Lake Michigan helped expand the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast Sentinel project.

In 2022, WSCNMS started a pilot project that demonstrated the need for real-time lake data. The initial system used during the pilot comprised three small, “smart moorings” deployed within the WSCNMS and equipped to provide real-time wind, wave, and water temperature measurements.

“While these buoy systems have helped improve overall coverage and confirmed strong user engagement,” Grow says, “Their design limits the types of measurements they can support, including water quality and current profiles. Additionally, some parameters are estimated rather than directly measured.”

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Here are 13 courses to consider when building your fall schedule.

Great Intro Courses (No Prerequisites!)

These are great options for first-year students, non-majors, or anyone looking to explore freshwater or atmospheric sciences. And they all fulfill Natural Science GER requirements!

1. FRSHWTR 101 – Elements of Water

Water connects everything — ecosystems, climate, cities, food systems, and the economy. In this course, you’ll learn why freshwater is one of the most important natural resources on Earth, how the water cycle works, and what happens when natural water systems are disrupted. This is a great introductory course for students interested in freshwater science, environmental issues, or sustainability.

• This course fulfills a Natural Sciences GER requirement
• Course offerings: In-person course Tuesdays/Thursday 10-11:15 a.m. in Chemistry Building 110
• Instructor: TBD
• Undergrad only

2. ATM SCI 100 – Survey of Meteorology

This course introduces the basics of weather and climate, including atmospheric processes, weather systems, and how forecasts are made. Available in-person and online asynchronous, this course also fulfills a Natural Sciences GER requirement and is a great option for students interested in weather, climate, or environmental science.

• This course fulfills a Natural Sciences with a Lab GER requirement
• Course offerings: Available online OR in-person lecture Mondays/Wednesdays 10:30-11:20 a.m. in Lubar Hall S230 (plus two lab sections)
• Instructor: George Duffy
• Undergrad only

3. ATM SCI 109 – Thunderstorms, Tornadoes and Hurricanes

Interested in extreme weather? Learn how severe weather forms and impacts communities around the world. This course explores thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events. Offered online asynchronously and fulfills a Natural Sciences GER requirement.

• This course fulfills a Natural Sciences GER requirement
• Course offerings: Online course
• Instructor: Sergey Kravtsov
• Undergrad only

Core, Required & Elective Freshwater Sciences Courses

These courses are great for students progressing through the freshwater sciences major or minor.

4. FRSHWTR 201 – The Water Environment

Aquatic environments are shaped by a combination of physical, chemical, and biological factors. In this course, you’ll learn how these systems work together, how they influence organisms and ecosystems, and how environmental changes can impact water systems and aquatic life.

• Prerequisites: C or better in BIO SCI 150, CHEM 102 and MATH 105
• Course offerings: Tuesdays/Thursdays 2:30-3:45 p.m. in Physics Bldg 127
• Instructor: Brandon Gerig
• Undergrad only

5. FRSHWTR 362 – Introduction to Environmental Data Systems

This course introduces environmental modeling, systems thinking, and how environmental processes are connected and analyzed using data and computational tools. Students learn how to collect, manage, and analyze environmental data and use those results to help solve social, environmental, and ecological problems.

• Prerequisites: COMPSCI 202, one of the following: MATHSTAT 215, MATH 213, MATH 221 or MATH 231
• Course offerings: Tuesdays/Thursdays 1-2:15 p.m. in Lapham Hall 260
• Instructor: Tracy Boyer
• Undergrad only

6. FRSHWTR 392 – Water, Energy, Food, and Climate

Water, food, energy, and climate are all connected, and changes in one system affect the others. This course explores how these global systems interact and how policy, economics, and sustainability decisions impact environmental challenges around the world.

• Prerequisites: Sophomore standing or higher
• Course offerings: Tuesdays/Thursdays 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. in Lapham Hall 260
• Instructor: Tracy Boyer
• Undergrad only

Advanced Undergraduate & Graduate Courses

These courses are designed for upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students interested in specialized topics and hands-on experience. These courses are mixed with undergraduate and graduate students. Typically, these courses meet at Great Lakes Research Facility.

FRSHWTR 471 – Introduction to Sensing Networks

Learn how environmental data is collected using sensors and monitoring networks and how that data is used to understand environmental systems. Students work with data from sources like satellites and underwater sensors to monitor surface water and environmental conditions, and learn modeling techniques to analyze data from multiple sources.

• Prerequisites: MATHSTAT 215, or FRSHWTR 585 and MATH 213 OR MATH 231
• Course offerings: Wednesdays 2:30-5:10 p.m. in Lapham Hall 257
• Instructor: Xinyi Shen
• Undergrad and graduate

FRSHWTR 502 – Aquatic Ecosystem Dynamics

Learn how aquatic ecosystems function by studying the biological, chemical, and physical processes that shape freshwater systems, including large lake dynamics, hydrology, chemistry, and aquatic communities.

• Prerequisites: Junior standing, BIO SCI 150, CHEM 102, and MATH 115, MATH 116 or MATH 211, or graduate standing
• Course offerings: Tuesdays 2:30-5:10 p.m. in Great Lakes Research Facility 1084
• Instructor: Harvey Bootsma
• Undergrad and graduate

FRSHWTR 511 – Ichthyology

If you’re interested in fish and aquatic life, this course explores fish biology, ecology, evolution, and species identification. You’ll also learn how fish have adapted to different aquatic environments through behavior, genetics, physiology, and movement.

• Prerequisites: Junior standing, BIO SCI 150, or graduate standing
• Course offerings: Tuesdays 8:30am-11:10am in Great Lakes Research Facility 1084
• Instructor: Brandon Gerig
• Undergrad and graduate

FRSHWTR 513 – Field Experimentation and Analysis for Freshwater Sciences

Interested in research or field work? This course gives you hands-on experience with field methods, experimental design, and data analysis used in freshwater science. Students work on field and lab activities focused on freshwater ecology research.

• Prerequisites: Junior standing, BIO SCI 152 and CHEM 104, or graduate standing
• Course offerings: Thursdays 2:30pm-5:10pm in Great Lakes Research Facility 1084
• Instructor: Ben Peterson
• Undergrad and graduate

FRSHWTR 563 – Fish Nutrition and Physiology

This course explores how fish grow, how their bodies function, and what they need to stay healthy. Students learn how nutrition and physiology are used in aquaculture, fisheries management, and conservation to support sustainable fish populations. The course is offered online but meets synchronously on Mondays.

• Prerequisites: Junior standing, a grade of C or better in BIO SCI 152 and CHEM 104, or graduate standing
• Course offerings: Online, but meets synchronously Mondays 2:30-5:10 p.m.
• Instructor: Dong Fang Deng
• Undergrad and graduate

FRSHWTR 583 – Cost-Benefit Analysis

This course introduces economic and policy decision-making tools used in environmental and water resource management. Students learn cost-benefit analysis concepts, principles, and techniques and apply them to real-world environmental and resource management decisions. This course is offered online with synchronous class meetings on Wednesdays.

• Prerequisites: Junior standing, a grade of C or better in BIO SCI 152 and CHEM 104, or graduate standing
• Course offerings: Online, but meets synchronously Mondays 11:30 a.m.-2:10 p.m.
• Instructor: James Price
• Undergrad and graduate

Graduate Course

FRSHWTR 781 – Water Law for Scientists and Policy Makers

Water management isn’t just science — it’s also policy and law. In this course, you’ll learn about water law, environmental policy, and major regulations that govern water resources, including the Clean Water Act and Great Lakes policies. This course is offered online with synchronous class meetings.

• Prerequisites: Graduate standing
• Course offerings: Online, but meets synchronously Mondays and Wednesdays 10-11:15 a.m.
• Instructor: James Price
• Undergrad and graduate

These courses cover everything from weather and climate to aquatic ecosystems, fish biology, environmental systems, economics, and policy. Whether you’re just starting your degree or taking advanced courses, there are plenty of options to build a fall schedule that fits your interests and career goals.

Talk with your advisor during enrollment appointments to see which of these courses fit into your academic plan and fall schedule!

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“When we are looking for inspiration and a vision for what is possible, the Wisconsin Academy Fellows program serves as a light, showcasing bright minds and creative voices from every corner of our state,” says Wisconsin Academy Executive Director Erika Monroe-Kane. “Academy Fellows are groundbreakers who have had a deep, meaningful impact and significantly contribute to a vibrant and brilliant Wisconsin. Reflecting the extraordinary in Wisconsin, this 2026 Wisconsin Fellows Class connects us to what is special about Wisconsin and its people.”

Established in 1982, the Fellows program is the only Award that recognizes outstanding work across the sciences, arts and Letters in Wisconsin. The 2026 Class of Fellows will join over 100 current Fellows from around the state. New Fellows include infectious disease researcher and healthcare leader Dr. David Andes; nonprofit executive and visionary urban planner Dr. Ruben Anthony; visual artist and master printmaker Emily Arthur; STEM equity advocate and psychologist Dr. Angela Byars-Winston; pioneering choreographer and dancer Li Chiao-Ping; celebrated actor, director, and novelist James DeVita; choreographer and dance educator Simone Ferro; sculptor, curator, and visual artist Martha Glowacki; performing artist and psychologist Dr. Frederick Heide; environmental toxicologist and educator Dr. Rebecca Klaper; urban ecology pioneer and author Ken Leinbach; legendary broadcaster and life sciences communicator Larry Meiller; distinguished attorney and civil servant Lester Pines; Indigenous artist and cultural educator Melanie Tallmadge Sainz; surgical oncologist, innovator, and educator Dr. Sharon M. Weber; and multi-disciplinary artist, mentor, and curator Jason Yi.

About the Fellows Program 

Since its founding in 1870, the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters has been dedicated to the belief that the health of our state depends on the free exchange of ideas. The Academy Fellows program is the heartbeat of this mission, serving as the common ground where Wisconsin’s most influential thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers meet. In a time of increasing fragmentation, these Fellows create a vital statewide network that unites our rural landscapes with our urban centers, bringing together leaders from across the sciences, arts, and letters to navigate our most complex challenges. These individuals are the modern stewards of the Wisconsin Idea. Together, they remind us that our greatest resource is our shared curiosity and our dedication to making this state a place where everyone can truly find a home. 

About the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters 

A champion of independent thought, creativity, and civil discourse, the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters connects people from across the state and builds common ground. Through exhibitions, publications, and initiatives, the Wisconsin Academy sparks curiosity, creativity, and dialogue across the state. The James Watrous Gallery celebrates contemporary Wisconsin artists, while Wisconsin People & Ideas magazine explores the intersections of science, culture, and the humanities. The Climate and Energy Initiative advances pathways to a sustainable future, and public talks foster meaningful connections among engaged and inquisitive people. The Academy also honors excellence through the Fiction & Poetry Awards and Fellows Awards, supports the Wisconsin Poet Laureate, and nurtures ideas and conversations that shape a better future for Wisconsin. 

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University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will host the local premiere of the film on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 6 p.m. in the University Theatre. Pre‑event exhibits open at 5 p.m. so guests can explore community tables and talk with scientists, conservation groups and students advancing freshwater solutions across Northeast Wisconsin. The screening will be followed by a live conversation with the filmmaker and  local experts featured in the film, after which guests are invited to explore student art focused on the estuary and meet representatives from local watershed organizations.

The “Natural World of the Bay” takes audiences inside the world’s largest freshwater estuary to reveal the bay’s dynamic blend of birds, fish and plants, the nutrient cycles and invasive species that shape its health, and the people who influence its future. From interviews with biologists to community stewards, viewers will see stories of northern pike migration, the seasonal spectacle of migratory birds, and the complex role of nutrients that fuel productivity while also driving algal blooms and hypoxia (“dead zones”) in some seasons – challenges that state and regional partners are actively working to address in the Lower Fox River–Green Bay system.  

“UW–Green Bay had the strongest connection to this film,” Larson noted. “From UW-Green Bay emeritus scientists like Bud Harris who helped frame the ecology of the bay, to collaborators at UW–Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences like Val Klump who’ve advanced our understanding of dead zones, to Sea Grant partners and on‑the‑water monitoring with NEW Water, this is the right place to premiere a film about freshwater science, community and solutions.”  

Event Details

• What: “The Natural World of the Bay” — Local Premiere + Community Conversation
• When: Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2026
  • 5 p.m. open house with community tables
  • 6 p.m. screening (59 minutes) + conversation with filmmaker and experts
  • 7:30 p.m. explore estuary-focused student art and community tables with representatives from Green Bay watershed organizations
• Where: UW–Green Bay campus, University Theatre
• Admission: Attendees are asked to pay what they can to attend, with a suggested $8 entry fee. 
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• Beneficiaries: UW–Green Bay Scholarships and the Lower Fox River Watershed Monitoring Program 

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Her short film, “Bringing Back the Giants,” tells the story of the efforts to restore lake sturgeon to the Milwaukee River Watershed. Once abundant throughout the Great Lakes, lake sturgeon in the Milwaukee River were driven to the brink of regional extinction by 1890. Human pressures, including overfishing, pollution, and dam construction, collapsed the population to less than 1% of historic levels, but dedicated restoration efforts across Wisconsin are now working to reverse that legacy. 

This film explores the partnership formed in 2006 between  and the  to restore lake sturgeon to the Milwaukee River Watershed. Through the “Return the Sturgeon Project,” over 22,042 lake sturgeon have been successfully reared and released into Lake Michigan, carefully nurtured through the critical six-month growth period from eggs to fingerlings and juveniles. Fueled by passionate community involvement and strong local collaboration, this effort is helping revive these ancient giants and secure their place in the Great Lakes for generations to come.

Vote for Cami as Fan Favorite!

While the main categories are selected by independent judges, there is a “Fan Favorite Award” that anyone can vote for. You can help her win by . Make sure to choose “Bringing back the giants: Sturgeon restoration in the Milwaukee River Watershed,” Cameron Armendariz. The deadline to vote is Wednesday, April 15 at 4pm.

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His coming-of-age unfolded just before cell phones became ubiquitous, said Dow, who earned his master’s in freshwater sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and now works for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Sometimes he misses those days when his only obligation was to make it home before dinner.

“I was doing my own investigations of everything that was out in green spaces,” Dow said. “But I didn’t look at a tree and think it’s a different species, or look at a bird or animal and think whether it’s good or bad for the ecosystem.”

Today, Dow coordinates a human ecosystem, consisting of scientists at different local, county, state and federal agencies, environmental leaders and conservation groups — all dedicated to cleaning up Milwaukee-area rivers and Lake Michigan.

His role as the Milwaukee Estuary and Sheboygan River Area of Concern coordinator is part of nearly $500 million in clean-water funding efforts, aimed at fixing decades of water contamination and environmental degradation.

Applying research to real-world issues

Thinking critically and strategically about nature began at UW-Eau Claire, where Dow majored in biology, specializing in bugs and aquatic life.

“When you start to piece the whole thing together, like food webs and how everything interacts with everything else, it’s a cascading effect,” he said.

When he graduated in 2013 with his bachelor’s degree, Dow landed a seasonal job with the Wisconsin DNR, where he would interview anglers about fishing on Lake Michigan. That process sparked endless questions about the state of the lake and its fish. He enrolled in 51����’s School of Freshwater Sciences in 2015 to dive deeper.

Dow’s graduate work in freshwater science and technology grew into an ambitious thesis, mapping the conditions across the bottom of the Milwaukee Harbor and the area’s tributaries. The undertaking landed nearly $250,000 in state and conservation grant money.

His thesis also identified 30 key waterway improvement projects in the Milwaukee area. That work eventually led to a full-time position with the DNR, overseeing cleanup and restoration efforts in Milwaukee’s contaminated and degraded waterways.

A history of contaminated water

During the 1900s, industries dumped heavy metals from machine shops, coal tar from gas plants and other toxic materials into Milwaukee’s three principal rivers. This stopped after Congress passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, but the damage was already done.

Many of the worst compounds, including  like PCBs, settled into the river bottoms and banks or flowed into the Milwaukee Harbor, where they continue to affect bugs, fish and people who consume fish today.

“The biggest effort is to clean up the bottom of our rivers and the harbor,” Dow said.

Change underway

This major effort, funded by the , involves a project agreement between the Environmental Protection Agency and five non-federal sponsors, including the DNR. The team is working to determine how much of the contaminated river bottom sediment can be removed and designing the project’s execution.

Dow is also coordinating with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District on the construction of a facility to safely contain all the contaminated waste dredged out over the course of the cleanup.

“I’m kind of the glue that holds it all together,” Dow said of his position with the DNR.

Ultimately, that position involves working with local, county, state and federal agencies — as well as nonprofits, research groups and other parties — to ensure that our lakes and green spaces are healthy and thriving.

Story by Tree Meinch | Explore more in Make New Waves

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But it wasn’t until she enrolled in UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences that Choi realized the possibilities of lifelong work in water. At 51����, she has already made meaningful contributions to lab work, snagging multiple awards for her research analyzing water dynamics and quality.

“There’s a whole career for science communication, outreach and helping people find resources,” Choi said. “I see myself teaching communities about water quality and water safety.”

Analyzing water dynamics

Choi’s contributions began even before her first freshman class at 51����, thanks to the university’s summer research program for incoming students.

In that program, Choi worked alongside 51���� assistant professor and hydrologist Charles Paradis, who charged her with investigating how uranium behaves in soil during a flood.

That work could lead to new ways to clean and protect groundwater in polluted areas. Paradis applies similar research to understand the impacts of road salt on the natural environment.

For Choi, the unique experience revealed how scientific inquiry unfolds in real-time.

“It really taught me what research looks like,” she said. “Everybody doesn’t know exactly what will happen and it’s up to us as a team to figure it out. And even with no experience coming in, I made a contribution to it.”

Other professors and faculty have helped diversify her experience and success.

A freshwater science class with Laodong Guo immersed Choi in lab work, where she analyzed the chemical properties of wastewater that collects in oil fields during the extraction processes. As part of that work, she ran water samples through a spectrometer and learned how to use programming software to carry out the tests.

The aim of that research, in part, was to determine whether contaminated water in oil fields can be reclaimed for other uses, such as recycling produced water or recovering important metals.

Earning accolades

Choi’s cross-disciplinary studies have already earned attention from researchers in the field through presentations at the 51���� Research Symposium and the National Conference of Undergraduate Research.

In 2023, she received a 51���� Outstanding Performance in Introductory Chemistry Award. More recently, she entered the accelerated master’s program for high-achieving students in School of Freshwater Sciences. This means she can begin her graduate degree while finishing final requirements for her bachelor’s degree.

In 2025, Choi received an Outstanding Presentation award at the 51���� Research Symposium for a research project supported by Gina Seegers Szablewski, a senior teaching faculty member in 51����’s geosciences department.

That work involved redesigning established geological diagrams in textbooks to be more visually appealing and engaging. And it helped Choi envision potential real-world work she’d like to do in the Milwaukee community.

Teaching the value of water

Choi imagines taking a multidisciplinary approach to her career, including collecting water samples, analyzing them (thanks to her chemistry minor) and teaching the public about water quality, health and safety. For example, she wants to make report cards that inform people when and where water is safe to swim in or consume.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper is one area nonprofit already doing this type of work; the organization has inspired Choi to volunteer in water cleanup events.

Her evolving expertise as a freshwater sciences student will allow her to dive even deeper into this passion. “I just want to teach people why water is valuable.”

Story by Tree Meinch | Explore more in Make New Waves

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Her adaptability blossomed during her elementary years at a community-focused bilingual school in Milwaukee. Later, it drove her to earn a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and history as an undergraduate student at the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota.

“I knew that biochemistry was a broad enough scientific track that I could use it as a foundation to do anything,” she said. “And I want to do it all.”

In 2021, Dennis joined the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences as a PhD student — propelled by a love of water and bugs.

She now specializes in expanding our understanding of antibiotic-resistant organisms so that the field of medicine can better equip people to survive bacterial infections. Her research advocates for more diverse treatments against the pathogens we are exposed to in our water systems and other public spaces.

“I’ve taken antibiotics,” Dennis said, “but I didn’t think about the fact that treatments could or could not work based on what organism you’re sick with and whatever resistance mechanisms they pick up.”

Following ‘creepy crawlers’

Dennis’ biochemistry studies for her bachelor’s degree planted the seeds for her work as a grad student today. “I was just thinking about parasites,” she said. “I’ve always been interested in creepy crawlers.”

Charged with writing a mock proposal for research, her capstone explored the development of a vaccine against a disease spread by freshwater parasites. The process introduced Dennis to disease transmission routes, dynamic food chains and freshwater environments, including public parks and green spaces.

Dennis was fascinated and hooked, and she started as a freshwater sciences grad student at 51���� less than a month after graduation. “I drove home, rested for maybe eight days, then started here,” she said.

Probing antibiotic resistance

Over the past four years, Dennis has plunged into the complexities of how certain pathogens — such as E. coli, which is prevalent in bodies of freshwater and beyond — evolve and adapt to resist antibiotic treatment.

The issues of antibiotic resistance and multidrug-resistant organisms have grown significantly since the 1980s, which has prompted concern and significant funding to prevent a future where .

For Dennis, some days her research looks like microscopic sequencing of gene families in the lab. Other days, it requires donning her history hat, while contemplating anthropology, sociology and other disciplines.

“You can’t solve this issue when you only look at a slice of where it occurs,” she said. “It’s out in the community. It’s in the hospitals. It’s in our food chain. It’s in the water.”

Bridging science and neighborhoods

With her lab hat on, Dennis immerses herself in the detailed genetics and mutation patterns of these microorganisms, as well as the freshwater environments that drive the evolution of the pathogens. Her findings will help develop new solutions to protect us from them.

Recently, though, she also discovered a love for public health. She hopes to educate communities about these issues in our world, bringing the science to everyday people.

“There’s usually a disconnect between the people doing the actual research and the people doing advocacy or the application of research,” she said. “I would like to do both.”

Story by Tree Meinch | Explore more in Make New Waves

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In the early 1990s, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in marine biology, Bootsma accepted a job as the first director of Lake Malawi National Park. The job was based in the southern African country of Malawi and paid just $300 a month.

“I had just gotten married, and my wife and I went there for two years, where I was in charge of this park,” said Bootsma, who is originally from Canada. “I was 24 when I started that. I really didn’t know what I was doing, but I learned a lot.”

In the decades since, Bootsma has leveraged his knowledge of lake ecosystems to probe the complexities of Lake Michigan.

As associate dean, he’s also helped build the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences, which launched its first graduate program in 2009 and its undergraduate major in 2021. The school’s faculty and alumni help inform policy, improve water management and promote the health and sustainability of freshwater systems worldwide.

From Lake Malawi to Lake Michigan

Back in Malawi, that first job immersed Bootsma in a national park dedicated to the third deepest lake in the world. More than 2,000 feet deep, Lake Malawi also claims more species of fish than any other lake on Earth. Most are found only in that lake.

The opportunity directed his career and life work toward limnology, or the study of inland lakes and waters. “Lake Malawi is still my first love,” Bootsma said. “It was the pivotal point in my career.” He became enamored with the intricacies of the inland lake environment and how it can be viewed from different perspectives, from biology and chemistry to physics.

The Malawi experience inspired Bootsma to return to North America for graduate school, but he continued to return to Malawi for his doctoral research. He was working in Malawi in 1999 when he found a job at 51����’s Great Lakes WATER Institute, a research center that has since blossomed into the School of Freshwater Sciences.

Probing Freshwater ecosystems

As a professor at the School of Freshwater Sciences, Bootsma is involved in a wide range of research, from climate change to the impact of invasive species. He also studies microplastics, synthetic chemicals and other substances with potential consequences for human health.

With invasive species, like the quagga mussel, Bootsma and his students are working to lessen their impact. One effort involves lining the bottom of the lake with tarps in shallow water to remove the invasive mussels. In deeper waters, the operators deploy a device called a mussel masher — a heavy plate that they drag across the bottom to crush the mussels.

Bootsma also works with colleagues in the school to deploy and oversee many instruments that collect and report vital data about Lake Michigan in real-time, via platforms like . These reports on variables like water temperature and wave conditions support anglers seeking fish, commercial ships navigating safe passage to ports and other fundamental daily operations on Lake Michigan.

In all of his work, Bootsma is connected to Lake Michigan and the people who live and work on it. That gives him satisfaction. But his greatest joys are the research dives that give him insight into the highs and lows of one of the world’s great freshwater bodies.

“My best days on the job have been out working on the lake,” he said.

Story by Tree Meinch | Explore more in Make New Waves

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