Michelle Soderling Email & Phone Number

Responsible for collection of surface water quality samples, stream discharge measurements, in-situ measurements, habitat assessments, data entry and quality assurance, boat operations and maintenance of field equipment in compliance with state and federal laws, contract requirements and internal SOPs. •Physical Habitat Team Leader for US EPA’s 2018-2019 National Rivers and Streams Assessment•Improved understanding of water quality entering MMSD’s territory during an upper Milwaukee River Watershed baseline flow and TMDL project

Improved organization and outreach by developing and implementing strategies, training workshops, and water-related science-based educational content. •Communications with program sponsors, neighborhood and community groups, businesses, interested individuals and local stakeholders.•Collaboration with the Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway Program in Southeastern Wisconsin.

School Of Freshwater Sciences

In progress: MS at the School of Freshwater SciencesAdvisor: Dr. Nancy Frank, Urban PlanningFocus: Water Resource Management. Public health and human interactions with our natural environment are a driver for my passion to work in the water sector. I value community education and engagement to foster environmental stewardship in the Greater Milwaukee Area. Past Research: Field work and laboratory experiments, in the Aguilar-Cuhel Labs, related to nutrient cycling and surface water quality in the Milwaukee area. Special studies on Lake Michigan diatom physiology and their role at the base of the Lake Michigan food web.

School Of Freshwater Sciences

Supervised by Dr. Russell Cuhel and Dr. Carmen Aguilar. Participated in long-term monitoring of invasive species of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Nutrient and chemical analyses using spectrophotometry and flow injection. Special project focusing on Lake Michigan diatom night protein synthesis and nitrogen utilization. Worked on plankton identification as well as unialgal culturing. Conducted extensive field work aboard the R/V Neeskay.

Greater Milwaukee Area

My position involved assisting the Freshwater Resource Monitoring Department in long-term monitoring of the local waterways, meeting all WDNR WPDES Permit requirements, supporting customer requests and special projects, providing technical assistance, reports and public outreach. Job duties included collecting and analyzing water quality data for the area creeks, rivers, and Lake Michigan. I worked with large data sets to better understand water quality data (physical, chemical, and biological) -- including statistical analyses and reporting. Field work entailed collecting water samples year-round from nearly 100 sites for approximately 40 different parameters. Various water collection techniques were utilized, as well as in-situ measurements. Field work was completed from land, from area bridges and from MMSD's 43-ft sampling boat, Pelagos.

Master’S Degree, Freshwater Sciences And Technology

Bachelor’S Degree, Biochemistry

Associate’S Degree, Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities

High School