WLC students travel to Grenada every May to conduct research on the island country’s coral reefs, collecting and sharing data with Grenadian and other Caribbean ecology officials. WLC collaborates with a Milwaukee County Zoo aquarium and reptile curator on portions of this project.
Additional partners emerged as resource managers became aware of WLC’s work. “For instance,” Anderson said, “We Energies needed help monitoring its intake structures at the Valley Generating Station. This two-year study led to another one on Lake Michigan at We Energies’ station in Port Washington, and now we’re conducting monitoring at the Oak Creek Generating Station as well. Then MMSD awarded a contract to evaluate the lower section of the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee to HNTB (a civil engineering and infrastructure consulting firm) in part because WLC students were performing the biological research aspect of the project! The Lord has really blessed our work.” Anderson’s DNR colleagues express their appreciation of his and WLC’s contributions without hesitation. “I’ve collaborated with Bob for the last decade or so surveying the Mukwonago River and more generally working on aquatic conservation issues,” said John Lyons, Ph.D., supervisor for Southern Wisconsin’s Fisheries Research Team for the Wisconsin DNR. “He’s been a big help to my projects, providing a great group of students who have been bright and enthusiastic. Their contributions have been essential to making our work go smoothly.” “Dr. Anderson has implemented long-term trend monitoring that will provide invaluable information for fisheries habitat and protection – as well as give students a real life resource management perspective,” added Ben Heussner, a DNR fisheries biologist. “I had the privilege of working with Dr. Anderson and have enjoyed his passion for both the environment as well as for student education,” said Nick Schmal, Ph.D., of the U.S. Forest Service. “Many of his field projects provided useful scientific information to state and federal agencies as well as county and local governments. But most importantly, students not only experienced the use of field sampling equipment, but often learned how to identify aquatic plant and animal specimens using the latest taxonomic resources.”
“The most unique work involves underwater dive inspections of a breakwater-like dike at our Port Washington Generating Station that is designed to keep fish from entering the water intake,” Lee said. “His skills combined with his WLC student teams have provided us with a valuable local resource to rely on.” Providing assistance to experts and professionals in the ecology field has – in fact – become regular fare for WLC students. Whether on the Mukwonago River or Pewaukee Lake, in the Wil-O-Way Forest or Jamaica’s Discovery Marine lab, undergraduates are conducting authentic research: fish population studies, lake plant surveys, marine biology monitoring, and more. “It’s been interesting, watching Bob’s efforts to build relationships between WLC and others over the years,” observed Dr. Jarrod Erbe, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The tide has completely turned. Today, many more calls come into WLC requesting research help than calls that go out asking for a ‘research-related experience’ for our students.” The calls, no matter where they originate, continue to result in positive connections for the college and experiential learning opportunities for WLC’s students. “We’ve come a long way,” Anderson said, “but we can do more.”
Dr. Bob Anderson and students on the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee conducting a monitoring project for MMSD. Wisconsin Lutheran College | 21
engaging community partners
biologist and asked if my students and I could get trained by them so that our procedures would be accepted by their agency. Then we observed and worked with their electroshocking barge. We decided to create our own, modeled after theirs, so again, our electroshocking practices and fish monitoring data would meet DNR standards. We’ve been providing monitoring data to the DNR from that portion of the Menomonee River since 1995 because they trust our work.”
We Energies administrators also appreciate their WLC partnership. “Bob has in-depth knowledge of the Great Lakes and how to evaluate the environmental effects from facilities like power plants that operate large circulating cooling water systems,” explained David Lee, P.E., manager of water quality in We Energies’ environmental department. “Because of his expertise, we have been able to work with him and his students to evaluate the performance of our water intake fish protection technologies at several of our facilities.