Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2016WI348B

Wisconsin Water Resources Fellowship: Collaborating with Water Managers

Institute: Wisconsin
Year Established: 2016 Start Date: 2016-03-01 End Date: 2017-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $28,553 Total Non-Federal Funds: $41,859

Principal Investigators: Jennifer Hauxwell

Project Summary: We propose to develop a program of shared fellowships between the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (UW-WRI) and resource agencies within the State of Wisconsin. Based on the popular Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship, where fellows are places within offices of the federal government, our program is designed to place students or recent postgraduates with advanced degrees in agencies. The fellowship consists of a full-time position at a participating state agency from June 1, 2016 through May 31, 2017. Candidates will apply following an application process similar to that of the Knauss Fellowship, with a panel of UW-WRI and agency staff members determining the best fit for the position. It is expected that applicants will have strong water resources backgrounds with an interest in policy that affects these treasured Wisconsin assets. We expect 50% cost-share with the agency that houses the student and this coming year are planning to partner with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Bureau of Water Quality. This Fellow will be stationed at the DNR, bringing their technical skills to benefit the agency in evaluating patterns in water quality statewide, and receiving valuable real-world science-policy experience from the resource professionals who will serve as mentors. This mutually beneficial partnership will result in advancing the science to support policy decisions as well as a valuable training opportunity for new professionals entering the work force.