The Center for a Sustainable Water Future at Illinois State University has announced a series of talks that will take place during fall 2023. All of these sessions will take place from 11 a.m.-noon in Schroeder Hall, room 112, 403 W. College Ave., in Normal.
Faculty from across campus who share an interest in water-related scholarship and creative activities gather on the first Wednesday of every month for informal sharing and conversations around the common theme of water.
They will share examples of some current or planned work from faculty, talk about collaborations and funding opportunities, and connect with others who share an interest in scholarship and creative activity related to water, very broadly defined. Below is a list of the scheduled events:
September 6, 2023 – Dr. David Kopsell, professor of horticulture, a fellow of the American Society for Horticulture Science, Department of Agriculture, will present “Bringing a Freight Farm to ISU: Water Use in a Controlled Growing Environment.”
Illinois State is excited to announce the creation of an on-campus food production program with the installation of a Freight Farm growing container set to be operational in early 2024. A Freight Farm is a converted shipping container with a controlled environment, hydroponic growing system using LED lighting technology. Along with the possibility of 365 days per year of production of leafy greens, this system is marked by increased water use efficiency, using 95% less water than field production.”
October 4, 2023 – Dr. LC Yang, associate professor of environmental health and sustainability, Department of Health Sciences, will present “A new anaerobic digestion system to reduce wastewater.”
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a technology that converts organic waste into biogas. The digestate wastewater contains ammonia, heavy metals, and pathogens, therefore, may cause soil and water contamination if land applied. A new AD system is being developed that will significantly reduce the discharge of digestate wastewater. The work is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Illinois State.
November 15, 2023 – Dr. Katie Meehan, faculty of society science and public policy, Department of Geography, Kings College of London, will present “Water, A Critical Introduction.”
Meehan will discuss her latest book, Water: A Critical Introduction which focuses on interrogating power and governance’s relationship to water scarcity, floods, legal conflicts, and many other water topics.
Dr. Katie Meehan will join via Zoom. An in-person meeting will still take place in SCH 112, but attendees can also join via zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://illinoisstate.zoom.us/j/93415144593?from=addon
Meeting ID: 934 1514 4593
