Since opening its state-of-the-art freshwater field station in late 2016, the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute has positioned itself as a leader and facilitator of freshwater science efforts, particularly in the Southeast. At the core of this role is extensive collaboration with various state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and academic researchers. The latest of these partnerships — a Canadian Ph.D candidate seeking imperiled Sand Darters — demonstrates how our scientists’ impact has expanded well beyond our own region.