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Conference/Workshops

A page within River Studies Center

Conferences

The River Studies Center organizes, coordinates, and presents continuing education programs to the scientific community and general public.

Mississippi River Research Consortium (MRRC).  The UWL River Studies Center has been a sponsor of this annual conference for many years.

MRRC is a private organization supported by its members and by cooperating agencies, institutions, and corporations. Membership is open to all interested parties.  MRRC members are scientists, river managers, teachers, students, and individuals from private business and the general public who want to encourage both pure and applied research on the water and land resources of the Mississippi River and its watershed. 

Other purposes of the organization include supporting organized research effort on the Mississippi River, establishing and encouraging communication among river scientists, the wider scientific community, and the public, encouraging cooperation among institutions (sharing of facilities, etc.), functioning as an advisory group, and providing an annual meeting where research results can be presented, common problems can be discussed, information can be disseminated, and river researchers can become acquainted with one another. 

A proceedings of the annual meeting containing abstracts of presentations are published each year.  The annual meeting usually occurs in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of the third or fourth week in April. 

MRRC Keynote Speakers Co-sponsored by the UWL River Studies Center

2023: Dr. Bonnie Keeler, Co-Director, Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Presentation title -- "What is clean water worth? Economics, environmental justice, and the pursuit of more effective and equitable water policy." 

2019: Dr. Samuel Muñoz, Physical Geographer, Northeastern University, Boston, MA. Presentation title – “Understanding hydrological extremes and their connections to the natural and built environment of the Mississippi River.”

2017: Dr. David Strayer, Freshwater Ecologist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY.  Presentation title – “Treating biological invasions of large rivers like they matter.”

MRRC Logo

The 4th Biennial Symposium of the International Society for River Science (ISRS) 2015 was hosted by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse River Studies Center in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center, Winona State University Large River Studies Center, and the University of New England, Australia. The three most recent biennial symposia were held in St. Petersburg, FL, USA (2009); Berlin, Germany (2011); and Beijing, PRC (2013). The interdisciplinary conference theme was river connectivity and drew more than 150 abstracts, about one-third of which were from international scientists representing 16 countries.

ISRS 2015 Symposium Logo

 

International Conference on Rivers and Civilization: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Major River Basins . La Crosse, Wisconsin, June 25-28, 2006. The River Studies Center co-hosted this event, and several Center members served on the Planning Committee, including Ron Rada (Co-Chair), Rob Tyser and Jim Wiener. The conference was attended by 425 persons from 24 countries, and approximately 200 papers were presented. This conference was awarded the 2007 Exemplary Program Award by the University Continuing Education Association.

International Conference on Rivers and Civilization  

Rivers 2006

Eighth International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant . Madison, Wisconsin, USA, August 6-11, 2006. River Studies Center personnel involvement: Jim Wiener, Technical Chair, Conference Organizing Committee; Mark Sandheinrich, Program Committee, Student Awards Committee, Regional Planning Committee; and Kris Rolfhus, Regional Planning Committee and Under-Represented Groups Committee.

Mercury 2006   

Ambio, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, Applied Geochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Environmental Pollution, and Environmental Research