Marquette joins Current Research Consortium

Current, the Chicago-based water innovation hub, announced Marquette University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as new Current Research Consortium (CRC) partners.

CRC members play a vital role in advancing water innovation by providing strategic, use-inspired guidance that shapes Current's programs - from accelerating technology commercialization through Great Lakes ReNEW, the National Science Foundation-backed Regional Innovation Engine that Current leads.

The CRC's goals include securing funding for research, development and translation projects, producing research outcomes that drive investment and commercialization, developing a skilled workforce and fostering entrepreneurship, attracting water-focused industries to the region, and elevating the global profile of Current and CRC members as leaders in water innovation.

Marquette, Minnesota and UW-Milwaukee join 10 CRC members, including Northwestern University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Illinois, among others. Together, CRC members represent research partners across the Great Lakes region.

Dr. Daniel Zitomer, professor and chair of the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering at Marquette as well as director of the university's Water Quality Center, said, "Our shared focus on solving challenges related to water quality brings Marquette University and Current into alignment. Together we will explore new innovations in water technologies, engineering, infrastructure and environmental protection that can propel us toward a water-smart future."

"We're proud to collaborate with Current Research Consortium members to drive water innovation and stewardship in the Great Lakes," said Jeanne Hossenlopp, vice president of research and innovation. "Together we are shaping the future and fueling economic growth for Wisconsin, Illinois and the broader Great Lakes Region."

Current CEO Alaina Harkness added, "Current's Research Consortium members bring deep expertise and passion for solving the biggest water challenges of our times. They bring tremendous ingenuity, capabilities to discover and invent novel solutions, and the talent that will become the next generation of water leaders. We are thrilled to welcome Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the CRC, extending the reach of our consortium in Wisconsin, a cornerstone of the Great Lakes water innovation ecosystem."

Harkness also serves as CEO and principal investigator of the Great Lakes Water Innovation Engine, or Great Lakes ReNEW. ​​In January, Current was awarded up to $160 million over 10 years from the U.S. National Science Foundation to develop and grow a water-based innovation engine in the region.

About Current

Current is an independent nonprofit water innovation hub, founded in Chicago in 2016. Its mission is to grow an inclusive Blue Economy, accelerate innovation and solve pressing water challenges. Current brings together corporations, advocates, researchers and governments to develop water management policies and test new technologies - projects that would be too risky or even impossible without sustained collaboration. Current has helped to raise more than $58 million to support water innovation and inclusive economic development in the region; launched the first real-time water quality monitoring tool for Chicago waterways; drafted a blueprint to build a thriving Blue Economy in Illinois and supported the commercialization of more than 40 water startups. Learn more about Current.

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