Michigan Tech to host World Water Day events this week on theme "Water and Jobs"

The Portage Lake Lift Bridge. Celebrate World Water Day at Michigan Tech this week. Be aware of maintenance delays on the bridge if driving to Houghton from the north. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University) 

HOUGHTON -- "Water and Jobs" is the theme of this year’s World Water Day, held annually on March 22. The celebration grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in an effort to bring international awareness to the quality and quantity of water.

Michigan Tech will celebrate 2016 World Water Day by examining several aspects of the United Nations-selected theme, "Water and Jobs."

John Austin -- director of Michigan Economic Center at Prima Civitas Foundation, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, president of the Michigan School Board and a lecturer at the University of Michigan -- will be the keynote speaker. At 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, Austin, who coined the term "Blue Economy," will speak on Water and Jobs in the regional context with a seminar, "Water is our Past -- Water is our Future," in 641 Dow, followed by a reception.

Austin is well known for authoring the report "Healthy Waters, Strong Economy," which led to federal support for Great Lakes clean-up and restoration and regional understanding and actions to build on our Great Lakes and water resources as an economic asset.

A  panel discussion will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, in GLRC (Great Lakes Research Center) 202. One of the key figures in the development of the city of Marquette’s waterway, Jim Compton -- as well as Austin, Michigan Tech Professor Alex Mayer of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Erin Johnston and Debbie Williamson from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community -- are on the panel.

Through April 30, the water-related art exhibit, "On Currents and Eddies" is on display in the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC).

A poster competition will highlight water-related research done by Center for Water and Society graduate and undergraduate students. Posters will be on display from 2:30 p.m. Tuesday until 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Dow lobby. 

The Green Film, Lost Rivers, will be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, in Forestry G002 Hesterberg Hall. The 72-minute film explores the hidden waterways in cities around the world and introduces us to people dedicated to exploring and exposing them. Many municipal governments are "day-lighting" their once-buried waterways -- find out how and why. The film is FREE and open to all. Enjoy refreshments (bring your own mug!) and discussion.

Jim Compton, City of Marquette hydrologist/engineer will facilitate the discussion on the film, including a short presentation on the daylighting of Whetstone Brook, a downtown Marquette stream.

Co-sponsors of the Green Film Series are Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and  Keweenaw Land Trust.*

Noel Urban, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of Michigan Tech's Center for Water and Society, said his goal for the events is "to draw attention to the water issues in the world and the research done here at Tech." **

* Click here for the 2016 Green Film Series schedule.

** Click here for more details on World Water Day events.

Celebrate Lake Superior at Great Lakes Research Center Apr. 23; Photos: GLRC hosts World Water Day poster displays

HOUGHTON -- What makes our lake "Superior?" A contest on that theme, along with displays, music, local food tasting, birthday cake and lemonade are all part of the fun planned for the Lake Superior Day celebration at the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 23. The community is invited to this free, family friendly event.

The Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) on the Michigan Tech campus will be the scene of a Lake Superior Day celebration on Tuesday, April 23.

All ages will be tapping their toes at the two 30-minute concerts (6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.) by Joe Reilly, a popular Michigan children's musician, who will visit CLK and Barkell Elementary Schools, as well as Baraga, CJ Sullivan and Arvon Schools on his UP Tour from April 23-26 during Earth Week.

Sponsored by the  Western UP Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education and by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) in honor of the Initiative's 5th anniversary, the Lake Superior Celebration will also include informative displays by LSSI community partners -- Dollar Bay High School SOAR Team’s ROV, Keweenaw Land Trust, Isle Royale National Park and others.

A "Superior Taste" will showcase locally grown and produced products of the Lake Superior region. Other activities include tours of the new Great Lakes Research Center by Director Guy Meadows, and tours led by Robert Handler of the aquaponics lab that grows foot-long fish and vibrant veggies. Everyone is invited to enjoy birthday cake, tastes of local food, lemonade and coffee.

Photos: GLRC hosts poster display for World Water Day

The Great Lakes Research Center was the scene of a poster display by Michigan Tech graduate and undergraduate students to celebrate World Water Day, sponsored by Michigan Tech's Center for Water and Society on March 21, 2013.

Matthew Van Grinson, Michigan Tech doctoral student in Forestry, explains his research project on the hydrology of black ash wetlands in the Ottawa National Forest to Noel Urban, professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of Michigan Tech's Center for Water and Society. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

Mariah Maggio, who served in the U.S. Peace Corps in the Philippines in 2006 and is now a graduate student in social sciences, explains her project to help Peace Corps Volunteers use social science methods to help them understand communities in order to design effective sustainability projects. Maggio is speaking to Jessie Zhang, left, from China, who is a Ph.D. student in environmental engineering. Michigan Tech offers eight different Peace Corps Masters International programs for Peace Corps Volunteers who can earn a Masters degree combined with their overseas service.*

Rasika Gawde of Mumbai, India, a Ph.D. candidate in civil and environmental engineering, displays her research on the temperature structure of Lake Superior. In studying climate change effects on the lake, it is necessary to understand what the temperature structure of the lake looks like, she explained.

Aparupa Sengupta, Ph.D. candidate in biology, explains her project, "Remediation of Tetracycline from Wastewater Using Vetiver Grass and Tetracycline-Tolerant Bacteria."

Colleen Mouw, left, assistant professor in geology and mining engineering sciences, listens as Anika Kuczynski, Ph.D. student, explains her research on changes in Cladophora biomass in some of the Great Lakes.

Joshua Papacek, an undergraduate biology student, displays his project on "Nutrient Limitation of Phytoplankton in Portage Lake, Michigan."

*Editor's Note: To learn about Michigan Tech's eight Peace Corps Masters International programs, click here.

Michigan Tech's Center for Water and Society to host research displays for World Water Day Mar. 21

HOUGHTON -- Thursday, March 21, is World Water Day. That day, Michigan Tech's Center for Water and Society has invited researchers from the University's Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) to present a showcase of their research at 5:15 pm in Room 202 of the GLRC.

A view of the entrance to Michigan Tech's Great Lakes Research Center. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

The Center for Water and Society is also sponsoring a World Water Day poster session featuring student research. Posters will be on display on the first floor of the GLRC from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 21; and the students will be at their posters to discuss their research from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Drop by the GLRC on Thursday afternoon for the student research posters, the faculty presentations or both.