Freshwater Collaborative at UWO provides taste of freshwater sciences, careers

High school students taking part in a freshwater camp at UW-Oshkosh spend time collecting water samples from the Fox River adjacent to campus.

Two dozen high school students immersed themselves in freshwater sciences in a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh camp this week that provided activities that included the chance to analyze and filter water, examine algae under a microscope, sample beaches for contaminants and marine debris and check out a few water resources in the area.

Jackson Cannon, who this fall will be a high school senior in the Chicagoland area, took a water sample from the Fox River on the first day of camp, when students had the opportunity to analyze the water. Cannon, who said he enjoys laboratory work and getting to see and use the equipment, said he may consider a career in forestry.

Ruby Writt of Madison said she is interested in pursuing a environmental studies or environment sciences in college. The incoming senior at Clark Street Community School, a charter school in Middleton, said working for the Department of Natural Resources is a career she is thinking about. She said she has family who reside in Door County and enjoys being on the water.

"I definitely come from a family that hunts and fishes," she said. "We have a deep respect for the environment."

The first day of camp, UWO Professor Marcel Dykstra talked to students about water filtration and they learned about optimum filtration particles if absolute purity was the goal.

Students learned that Fox River water is not potable due to bacteria and chemicals and that it is not palatable due to its taste, color and odor. To make it drinkable, there are a number of steps taken to remove organic and inorganic matter, pathogens, dissolved chemicals and other materials.

"Environmental engineers will measure something. Is it okay? Is it not okay?" he said. "There is a lot of pilot testing and they (engineers) want to understand the theory behind it."

Hands-on

Vinnie Grote of Yorkville, Illinois, will be a senior biology student at UW-Oshkosh this fall.

Grote, who assisted with the camp, said he appreciated seeing high school students on the UWO campus and learning about freshwater science.

"I think it's really cool … because I didn't have this experience in high school. And I like the fact that they get to be hands on and work with us-do some of the stuff that we do."

Grote said it's beneficial to learn how college works before starting on campus.

"I'm sure some of these guys are first gen students . . . so it's just a great opportunity. And I'm passionate about algae. So if I get to work with people who want to also look at algae, I think that's fun. And I just like sharing what I know with them."

Grote said he hopes the students learn that college isn't all just sitting at a desk, working on their laptop and papers, grinding out homework, studying and trying to pass an exam.

"You also get fun experience like this," he said. "Granted, they're not as common, but you get experiences like this where you get hard skills and you learn how to be a professional and what you want to do.

Exploring freshwater sciences

Green Bay Preble High School senior Connor Forsythe, among the camp attendees, said he plans to work in an environmental field-possibly hydrology-in his future career. He said currently has a student job at UW-Green Bay that assists with research focused on phosphorous and pH levels.

"Opening students' eyes to the different opportunities within the freshwater sciences is important," said Jackie Behrens, associate lab director at the UWO Environmental Research and Innovation Center. "These types of jobs are not the big job fields they talk about during career days in high school. The Freshwater Collaborative is doing a great job at getting students interested in freshwater science to show the diverse nature and jobs that this field has."

Behrens said she hoped students in the class learned about a new sector within freshwater that may spark their future career interests."

Colin Voight-Leoscher, a UW-Oshkosh senior biology student from Appleton who assisted at the camp, said it's fulfilling to pass his knowledge to younger students. He said he can see himself as one of them.

"The fact that these kids get to have this experience, something that we just didn't have, it means a lot," he said. "It means a lot that they can get their hands dirty and be able to see what we do and have a better idea of where they want to go with their careers."

As someone who used to avoid interaction with people, focusing only on exam scores and getting through college, Voight-Leoscher said he's taken on a different viewpoint since becoming more involved with his major and his student job.

"I've opened my eyes that college is not just something to get through," he said, "it's something to experience."

Learn more:

UWO Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC)

Study at UW-Oshkosh