Mission

A Freshwater Mission

The University of Washington Freshwater Initiative creates a diverse and vibrant research community through a deliberate commitment to collaboration, technological innovation, and creativity in understanding complex environmental and human systems.

We seek to advance high impact and meaningful research at the human-water interface by connecting observations, models, and stories with the communities responsible for freshwater resource management.

Through interdisciplinary collaborations with regional, national, and global partners, the University of Washington Freshwater Initiative promotes community interaction and enables new and creative applications of freshwater research in the water science and engineering communities.

Community Values

We value students

We value a student-oriented community that builds systemic competency and insight across the broad expertise in freshwater science at UW. We are putting students first by providing opportunities for Freshwater students to become “T-shaped” – that is, experts with a deep knowledge of their own field, but also conversant in other water-related disciplines.

We value outcome-oriented collaboration

By bringing together water scientists from different disciplines and professional environments, we strive to develop innovative research products and enable broader impacts at the society-water interface.

We value academic excellence

Our projects embody excellence in academic scholarship and are supported by strategic relationships across UW campuses and the broader freshwater research community.