Advanced Water Education Workshops

Decision Center for a Desert City, Arizona Project WET, Water Resources Research Center and Maricopa County Cooperative Extension from the University of Arizona host a workshop for water educators each summer.

2016 Advanced Water Education Workshop, July 19-20, 2016: Thinking Sustainably About Water

Water is more than just a natural resource, it’s a critical component to a sustainable society. Join us to enhance your knowledge about how changes in the world around us can have an impact on future water supply both here in the Phoenix area and around the country. Be the first in Arizona to try out the new tablet-based WaterSim America model that will be part of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street traveling exhibition called Water/Ways and the new Beyond the Mirage web experience.

• Use the new WaterSim America model to observe how changes in water supply and demand can impact future water users both here in Arizona and across the country.
• Use the updated WaterSim Phoenix model to understand the complexity surrounding water decision-making here at home.
• Use the Beyond the Mirage web experience to engage students in learning about Arizona’s water and becoming active stakeholders in our future water supply.
• Learn directly from Arizona stakeholders how water decisions impact them.

Explore these and other themes as you meet researchers from ASU and the University of Arizona, local municipal and state experts, and adapt materials to enhance your current water education programs.

Workshop Materials

• 2016 Advanced Water Education Workshop Agenda | Flyer
• 2016 Advanced Water Education Workshop Presentations…coming soon

2015 Advanced Water Education Workshop, July 7-8, 2015: Extreme Weather Events

Join us to enhance your knowledge of how city planners, scientists, engineers and water managers plan for and collect data about extreme events. Through this workshop you will:

• Learn how city planners design systems to manage urban runoff
• Use storm water data to determine the impact of various rain events in metro Phoenix
• Understand the formation and development of both dry and wet storms in Southern Arizona
• Analyze particulate data to determine whether dust storms are becoming more frequent in Arizona
• Explore health issues associated with extreme weather events in Arizona

Explore these and other themes as you meet researchers from ASU and U of A, along with local municipal and state experts, and adapt materials to enhance your current water education programs.

Workshop Materials

• 2015 Advanced Water Education Workshop Agenda | Speaker Bios | Flyer
• 2015 Advanced Water Education Presentations
1. Introductions – Monica Elser, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability and Kerry Schwartz, Project WET
2. Let’s Talk About the Monsoon with a Meteorologist – Paul Iñiguez, Science and Operations Office, NOAA/NWS Phoenix
3. Southwest Climate Change Projections-Increasing Extreme Weather Events? – Jeremy Weiss, Climate and Geospatial Extension Scientist, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona
4. Activity: Rainfall Impacts on an Urban Stream – Jessica Guo, graduate student in ASU’s School of Life Sciences Extreme Events Lesson and Extreme Events Lesson Presentation.
5. Post Wildfire Debris Flows – Mike Conway, Chief of the Geologic Extension Service of the Arizona Geological Survey
6. Cultivating Green Infrastructure-Growing a Resilient Phoenix – Joel Carrasco, Village Planner, Planning and Development Department, City of Phoenix
7. Heat in Cities: What It Means for Human Health – David Hondula, ASU Center for Policy Informatics, College of Public Service and Community Solutions
8. Dust and Valley Fever – Joe Tabor, Community, Environment and Policy, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona

2014 Advanced Water Education Workshop, July 15-16, 2014: Using Technology to Better Understand our World

Join us to enhance your knowledge about how scientists, engineers, and water managers use technology to gather and analyze data resulting in more efficient water use in the Valley of the Sun.

After completing this workshop you will:

• Use the new WaterSim modeling lesson to simulate real-world scenarios to manage the Phoenix-area water system with a goal toward sustainability.
• Learn about new technologies used to analyze water demand in the Phoenix area.
• Have a means to engage your students in dealing with uncertainty in models and predictions alike.
• Be equipped to use simple technology in your classroom to collect and analyze data with your students.
• Use on-line tools for teaching about water sustainability. Explore these and other themes as you meet researchers from ASU and U of A, local water and science experts, and adapt materials to enhance your current water education programs.

Workshop Materials

• 2014 Advanced Water Educator Agenda | Speaker Bios | Flyer
• 2014 Advanced Water Educator Presentations
1. Introductions – Monica Elser – Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability
2. Using Water Footprints and Linking to Citizen Science – Dara Wald, post-doctoral fellow, Center for Policy Informatics, ASU and Victoria Gutierrez, ASU Undergraduate Research Assistant
3. Using Technology for Water Management – Adam Miller, Planner III and Jamie Campbell, Planner II – Water Resources, Water Services Department, City of Phoenix
4. WaterSim Overview, Activity and Assessment – Ray Quay and David Sampson, DCDC [presentation]
5. Connecting Conservation and Community Action: The Conserve2Enhance Dashboard – Candice Rupprecht, Coordinator, Applied Programs, UA Water Resources Research Center
6. Bureau of Reclamation Planning Processes – Mary Reece, Manager of Program Development Division, Bureau of Reclamation
7. Water Scene Investigations: Taking Action at Home – Kerry Schwartz, Director UA Arizona Project WET

2013 Advanced Water Educator Workshop, July 10-11, 2013: Using Models to Simplify the Complex Interactions of Water in the Valley

In conjunction with Arizona Project WET, the Water Sustainability Program, and UA’s Water Resources Research Center, DCDC hosted 35 teachers at the eighth annual workshop. The theme of this year’s workshop is, “Using Models to Simplify the Complex Interactions of Water in the Valley.”

Join us to enhance your knowledge about how scientists and engineers develop and use models to solve problems and ask questions about water in the city. After completing this workshop you will understand how:

• models are used to explain phenomena, analyze systems, and solve problems
• decision-makers deal with uncertainty in models
• modeling is an iterative process
• to use modeling in your classroom

Explore these and other themes as you meet researchers from ASU and U of A, local water and science experts, and adapt materials to enhance your current water education programs

Workshop Materials

• 2013 Advanced Water Educator Agenda | Speaker Bios | Flyer
• 2013 Advanced Water Educator Presentations
1. An Introduction to Global Climate Modeling – Dr. Mike Crimmins, Associate Specialist Arizona Cooperative Extension, U of A presentation
2. Chain Reaction Issue 7
3. Modeling Surface Water – Groundwater Interaction – Dr. Jim Leenhouts, Acting Director, United States Geological Survey, Arizona Water Science Center presentation
4. Managing CAP’s water system using models – Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud, PhD Resource Planning Analyst, Central Arizona Project
5. Developing Water Sim – Dr. David Sampson, Decision Center for a Desert City, ASU presentation
6. Water Sim on Web: Future Options – Dr. Ray Quay, Decision Center for a Desert City, ASU
7. How do people deal with uncertainty in models? – Dr. Dave White, co-Director, Decision Center for a Desert City, ASU presentation

2012 Advanced Water Educator Workshop, July 18-19, 2012: Wetlands and Ecosystem Management

In conjunction with Arizona Project WET, the Water Sustainability Program, and UA’s Water Resources Research Center, DCDC hosted 35 teachers at the seventh annual workshop. The workshop enhanced educator knowledge of riparian systems, created wetlands and ecosystem management. Specific areas addressed as they related to this topic included:

• What are riparian system functions?
• What is the value of sustaining natural riparian systems?
• How are ecosystems managed?
• How do created wetlands and riparian systems fit into the water resources picture?

Workshop Materials

• 2012 Advanced Water Educator Agenda | Speaker Bios | Flyer
• 2012 Advanced Water Educator Presentations
1. Applying Climate Change Scenarios to a Model of the Beaver Creek Watershed – Gretchen Hawkins DCDC Graduate Research Assistant, ASU School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment
2. Studying the Ecology of the Tres Rios Wetlands – Chris Sanchez, CAP LTER REU Student presentation
3. Groundwater Flow Model Presentation
4. Part 1 of San Pedro Connection from Arizona Conserve Water Educators’ Guide
5. Structure and Function of Ephemeral Urban Waterways in a Semi-arid Region – Erika Liliana Gallo, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona presentation
6. River Restoration in the 21st Century – Daniel Bunting, UA Alumni, Consultant, World Wildlife Fund presentation
7. River and People: Maintaining Nature’s Benefits Environmental Flow Science, Opportunities and Barriers – Jeanmarie Haney, Scientist, The Nature Conservancy presentation
8. Part 2 of San Pedro Connection from Arizona Conserve Water Educators’ Guide

2011 Advanced Water Educator Workshop, June 28-29, 2011: Public Perception of Water Issues

The sixth annual workshop focused on public perception of water issues covering five main topics:

1. psychological underpinnings of (un)sustainable behaviors
2. gauging public perception
3. consumer responsibility
4. cross-cultural perspectives on water quality and equity
5. learning progressions for water education

Workshop Materials

• 2011 Advanced Water Educator Workshop Agenda | Speaker Bios
• Photos
• 2011 Advanced Water Educator Workshop Presentations

1. Psychological Underpinnings of (Un)Sustainable Behaviors

Susan Ledlow, PhD
DCDC Research Scientist
School of Sustainability
Arizona State University

2. Gauging Public Perception

Channah Rock, PhD
Water Quality Specialist
The University of Arizona, Cooperative Extension

3. Consumer Responsibility: what does it mean and who’s in charge

Sabrina Helm, PhD
Co-director Consumers Environment Sustainability Initiative (CESI)
The University of Arizona

4. Interactive Session on Learning Progressions for Water

Kristin Gunckel, PhD
Assistant Professor
Teaching/Learning and Sociocultural Studies
The University of Arizona

5. Making Research Real Through Exhibitions: Links to the water exhibit and making the movie.

Judy Newland
Academic Professor
School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Arizona State University

6. In All Fairness: Cross-cultural Perspectives on Water Quality and Equity

Meredith Gartin, Graduate Student
Amber Wutich, PhD, Assistant Professor
School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Arizona State University