School of Freshwater Sciences

What School of Freshwater Sciences does

The School of Freshwater Sciences is a graduate school within the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), established in 2009 as the first graduate school in the United States dedicated solely to freshwater study. It operates as a constituent academic unit of a public research university, offering specialized degree programs including the Freshwater Sciences MS, alongside marine science research and graduate research assistantships. The school is part of UWM's broader 209-program academic portfolio, which serves 23,104 students from 83 countries with a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The school's core activities center on freshwater and marine science education and research, leveraging its location on Lake Michigan and exclusive access to the R/V Neeskay research vessel for field experience. Students engage in hands-on laboratory research (such as at the McClellan Lab), water quality analysis, aquatic ecosystem studies, and environmental science research. The school markets to prospective graduate and undergraduate students primarily through experiential events, including the 'Charting New Waters' prospective student voyages aboard the R/V Neeskay that combine information sessions, facility tours, and field science activities.

Revenue is generated through tuition, research grants, and donations rather than commercial pricing. The school has secured two notable $10 million gifts: a $10 million grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation in November 2019 and a $10 million gift from Lynde B. Uihlein announced in May 2026. Customer segments include prospective graduate students (primary), prospective undergraduate students, and industry/community partners in southeastern Wisconsin engaged in water-related research. The school is governed as part of the publicly owned University of Wisconsin System, and standalone revenue, headcount trends, and M&A activity are not applicable to its academic structure.

Name

School of Freshwater Sciences

Legal name

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Website

https://uwm.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The School of Freshwater Sciences is UWM's graduate school dedicated to freshwater and marine science research and education, serving graduate and undergraduate students in Milwaukee with hands-on field experience via the R/V Neeskay research vessel on Lake Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Freshwater Sciences

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Schools of Public Health (EDAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Freshwater science education
• Marine science research
• Graduate research programs
• Water quality analysis
• Aquatic ecosystem studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Education and Research Services: As part of UW-Milwaukee, the School of Freshwater Sciences generates revenue through tuition, research grants, and donations. The school received a $10 million gift from Lynde B. Uihlein to support the School of Freshwater Sciences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The School of Freshwater Sciences delivers graduate-level academic programs, including the Freshwater Sciences MS degree, alongside hands-on laboratory and field research in freshwater and marine sciences. Students and faculty conduct water quality analysis, aquatic ecosystem studies, and environmental science research, leveraging the school's Lake Michigan location and the R/V Neeskay research vessel. The school also engages businesses and community organizations in southeastern Wisconsin through collaborative water-related research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freshwater Sciences MS (Master of Science)

Quantifiable outcome

• Hands-on research experience for graduate students through working at the McClellan Lab

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science: University of Miami's graduate school focused on marine, atmospheric, and earth sciences. Directly comparable as a specialized graduate school within a public research university serving similar water/marine science graduate students with research-vessel-driven programs.
• Scripps Institution of Oceanography: UC San Diego's graduate oceanographic research institution with hands-on oceanographic research, graduate education, and fleet of research vessels. Closest large-scale analog combining marine/freshwater research and graduate training.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Independent oceanographic research and graduate education institution. Comparable in combining specialized water science research with graduate training, though focused on oceans rather than freshwater.
• Virginia Institute of Marine Science: William & Mary's graduate marine science school focused on coastal and estuarine research. Directly comparable as a specialized marine/water sciences graduate school within a public university system.
• School of Marine Sciences (University of Maine): Graduate marine sciences school within a public research university offering MS/PhD programs. Closely comparable structural and operational model to the School of Freshwater Sciences within UWM.
• College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (University of Alaska Fairbanks): UAF's graduate school for fisheries, marine, and aquatic sciences. Comparable as a specialized graduate school within a public research university focused on aquatic and marine science research.
• Center for Limnology (University of Wisconsin-Madison): UW-Madison's freshwater research and graduate training center with field stations on northern lakes. Direct peer in freshwater limnology research and graduate education within the same state university system.
• Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (Florida Atlantic University): FAU's oceanographic research institute with graduate programs. Comparable as a specialized marine sciences research and graduate education unit within a public state university.
• Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (Columbia University): Columbia's earth and environmental sciences research institute with graduate training. Comparable as an earth/environmental science research and graduate education unit, though at a private R1 university.

Regional players

• Great Lakes Research Center (Michigan Technological University): Michigan Tech's Great Lakes freshwater research and graduate education center. Comparable as a Great Lakes-focused freshwater research institution, though operating as a center rather than a freestanding school.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/waterscienceUWM
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/uwmnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/freshwater.uwm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwmilwaukee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about School of Freshwater Sciences