Water Fellows Program Offering Funds
The USU Water Initiative recently launched its Water Fellows program to encourage USU graduate students in water-related fields to take advantage of opportunities available throughout campus, said Kim Schreuders, system administrator for the Utah Water Research Laboratory at USU. Water Fellows are self-identified graduate students involved in water-related study or research who wish to strengthen the collaboration with colleagues in similar fields within student memberships in professional societies, Schreuders said. “The Water Initiative wants to help everyone realize the true extent of USU’s strengths in integrative, interdisciplinary water science by offering a Water Fellows program,” Schreuders said. The Water Fellows student group is the foundation of the Water Initiative, she said. Students participating in the program will receive a $200 award applicable to either the purchase of water-related books through the USU Bookstore or student membership in a professional society related to some aspect of water. Water Fellows will also receive $100 annually toward continuing student membership in a water-related society, Schreuders said. Water Fellows also have the opportunity to apply for $500 travel grants to defray the costs of attendance at water-oriented professional meetings, she said.
“So far, it’s been one of the best-kept secrets in Utah,” she said. “USU’s Water Fellows are a growing group of graduate students who are positioned to make a real difference in both the Water Programs at Utah State University and beyond,” Schreuders said.
She said Water Fellows elect representatives who organize and run the semester lecture series, help organize the Spring Runoff Conference, attend Water Initiative advisory committee meetings and provide advice and suggestions about further strengthening the university water community.
The USU Water Initiative was established in 2003 and is an interdisciplinary collaboration of the university’s Utah Water Research Laboratory and USU’s seven colleges, Schreuders said.
“This initiative fosters collegiate sharing of water-related research and ideas throughout campus and the community,” Schreuders said. “This program will encourage USU graduate students with a water-related focus education or research emphasis to continue their knowledge, expertise and opportunities with their campus colleagues in similar disciplines.”
She said the advantages of being a Water Fellow can also be seen outside of USU.
“Historically, many of USU’s water students have become leaders at all levels of the water profession internally, nationally and locally, and we anticipate that the Water Fellows are going to become the next generation of leaders in the field,” Schreuders said. The online application to become a Water Fellow can be found at www.water.usu.edu/fellow.
-m.l.r@aggiemail.usu.edu