010 - The NatSci Chronicles - MSU Scientists Harnessing the Water Cycle to Address Global Challenges

Water research has been a long-standing priority at MSU. In 2012, Michigan State launched the MSU Global Water Initiative, hiring 16 new water research scientists between 2012-2016, adding to the more than 100 water scientists already at MSU at the time.

Water research is multi-faceted, ranging from predicting the effects of climatic influences and preventing pollution to better managing natural resources, advancing sustainable agriculture, protecting groundwater and ensuring a safe and plentiful water supply.

Scientists in Michigan State University’s College of Natural Science are planted firmly at the heart of water science to harness it wisely, preserve and protect it. The effort is intertwined in the continuum of water processes along the water cycle—precipitation, surface water, ground water, the surface-groundwater intersection and the impact of human influences and needs.

In this episode, I’ll be sitting down with four College of Natural Science faculty members who were part of the original Global Water Initiative hiring cohort to hear about how they are working together to harness their collective knowledge and research efforts to illuminate and address challenges to the water cycle—an extremely important process that enables the availability of water for all living organisms and regulates water patterns on our planet.

Participants: • Bruno Basso, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Kellogg Biological Station faculty member • Sarah Evans, associate professor, Department of Integrative Biology and Kellogg Biological Station faculty member • Matt Schrenk, associate professor, Departments of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics • Jay Zarnetske, associate professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences