The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will supercharge its Great Lakes research thanks to a $2.5 million gift from the Kohler Trust for Clean Water. The funding will initially support enhanced research on water quality and ecosystem health led by Harvey Bootsma, the inaugural Kohler Endowed Chair of Great Lakes Science in 51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s School of Freshwater Sciences.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re extremely grateful to the Kohler Trust for Clean Water for its visionary commitment to protecting and preserving precious freshwater resources,\u201d 51ÁÔÆæ Chancellor Mark Mone said. \u201cThis gift fuels the crucial research performed by our world-class experts at the School of Freshwater Sciences. It\u2019s an investment in the health of our Great Lakes and everyone who relies upon these natural wonders, and it will pay dividends for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new endowment allows the school\u2019s dean to devote talent and resources to specific topics for a three-to-five-year period, then shift into other areas in subsequent years. In this way, 51ÁÔÆæ can maximize its efforts toward understanding and solving the complex challenges facing our Great Lakes, including harmful algae blooms and invasive species, chemical and nutrient contamination, and other threats to the freshwater ecosystem.<\/p>\n
\u201cWater is such an integral part of Kohler and essential for life itself for all of us. We are proud to support this important work in the School of Freshwater Sciences,\u201d said Laura Kohler, chair of the Kohler Trust for Clean Water. \u201cWater is a finite resource and must be safe for everyone, and we emphasize partnerships that bring us closer to this ultimate goal. I can think of no better partners in this area than the dedicated people at 51ÁÔÆæ.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bootsma has a quarter-century of research excellence at 51ÁÔÆæ, and his focus on the health of large lakes and their ecosystems has taken him around the world. This new appointment enables him to make more thorough examinations of algae growth and other issues affecting water quality, including invasive species like mussels.<\/p>\n