Associate dean awarded for work with water quality
During the annual Utah Water Environmental Association meeting in St. George April 1, Utah State’s Nancy Mesner received the Calvin K. Sudweeks Water Quality Award.
Mesner is the associate dean of the College of Natural Resources. She also serves as program leader for USU Natural Resources Extension. For her work through Extension, Mesner was recognized by the Utah Division of Water Quality.
Some of her work included developing a youth education program. Mesner said her program originally targeted ninth graders by correlating with earth systems science core curriculum. The program was later adapted for use throughout grades K-12.
“We build a lot of it around stream monitoring. We hope that engages (students) for the rest of their lives,” she said.
The program also works to educate teachers how to present water quality materials, Mesner said.
Mesner hopes her program will let kids in grades K-12 experience some aspect of rivers or lakes and riparian areas. Furthermore, she said she hopes this experience will encourage kids to care about the use and treatment of watersheds.
To be successful in achieving goals for the watershed, one must partner well, find common goals, funding and the energy to make those goals happen, Mesner said. Extension works with many different agencies including the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and different conservation districts. People can no longer address water quality by just fixing the lake; the whole watershed needs to be addressed, she said
“You can’t do it unless you get everyone at the table,” she said.
Walt Baker, director of the Utah Department for Water Quality, said of Mesner, “Nancy has developed this exemplary extension program, while also maintaining an active research program in the influence of land use on water quality and in teaching courses on oceanography, water quality and pollution.”
Not only has Mesner worked to implement the youth education program, she has also continued to conduct research. Nonpoint source water pollution is the focus of her research, Mesner said.
Mesner has worked for USU Extension since 1999, but has worked in water quality her whole professional career. Mesner also received the Utah Watershed Improvement Award in 2004.
Calvin K. Sudweeks, a past water quality director for whom the award is named, made great strides toward resolving water quality issues, according to a UDWQ press release, and the award is given annually to those who make great contributions to the water quality field.
Chuck Gay, associate vice president and director for cooperation, said Mesner works hard and the Sudweeks Award was a well-deserved honor.
“I firmly believe she has been terrifically successful,” Gay said.
–jacie.fasselin@aggiemail.usu.edu