USU Celebrates "The Year of Water" Throughout 2015
Utah State University celebrates 2015 as the 'Year of Water.'
Utah State University took up the challenge of quenching the water needs of a burgeoning population even before historic Old Main was completed. USU’s Agricultural Experiment Station was the first building on campus before Old Main, and its mission was to research then solve Utah’s water problems and address the state’s water needs.
Now, 127 years later, USU still is the state’s go-to voice on issues related to water. USU engineers, hydrologists, agronomists, sociologists, Extension specialists, climate scientists and other researchers across a range of disciplines in many colleges are still the foremost voices on issues related to water in the state and beyond.
To celebrate this rich heritage and to highlight the university’s continuing leadership in water-related areas, Utah State University is focusing the entire year 2015 on a concentrated effort to tell its story to constituents.
The idea started with a highly anticipated birthday. In November 2015, USU’s Water Research Laboratory will celebrate its 50-year anniversary of powering the state’s water research.
“But as we looked at highlighting the extremely significant impacts the Water Lab has had on the state, we noted immediately that it’s not just the Water Lab leading efforts to address water needs,” said USU President Stan Albrecht. “Our specialists in many colleges across many disciplines today are among the nations and even the world’s leading experts on many water-related issues. So we decided to broaden the celebration.”
There is a lot to tell. USU has projects now in Egypt, Senegal, Thailand, Uzbekistan, throughout Latin America, Central America and in many other countries across the Middle East. People who received their graduate degrees in water resources from USU are the who’s who of water ministers, engineers, resource specialists in Jordan, Palestine, Israel, the Philippines, Thailand, the Dominican Republic and now — or, again — in Iraq. USU researchers are the principal investigators on other projects across the nation, particularly in the West and in dozens of areas of specialization.
“Our research teams and educators are the leading experts in their fields,” said Noelle Cockett, USU provost and executive vice president. “Addressing water issues is a complex and challenging task, and our interdisciplinary approach has resulted in innovative solutions recognized the world over.”
Cockett said the university is planning a full calendar of events and activities throughout the year that establish USU as the number one choice in Utah for resolving questions about water management, climate, ecosystems research, water education and the societal implications of water issues. Colleges from across campus as well as regional campuses will support the effort. From art exhibits to guest speakers to the Freshman reading book to professional seminars, the Year of Water will be weaved into university happenings to showcase the breadth and depth of the university’s water expertise.
Water is the world’s and Utah’s most valuable resource, and the issues surrounding it will continue to be at the forefront of concerns as the planet’s and state’s population continues to grow and needs outpace supply. Utah State University is poised to tackle this challenge head on as it always has, with professional experts producing research that uses an essential inter-disciplinary approach to problem solving.
From rehabilitation of river ecosystems, to water quality for humans AND fish, to ways to capture and then deliver to municipal systems, to the agricultural fields and to the faucets in your home, USU has been, is and will continue to be THE place for answers to water challenges facing the region, state, nation and world.
Related links:
Utah Water Research Laboratory
Writer and Contact: Tim Vitale, 435-797-1356, tim.vitale@usu.edu
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