For the sake of society, let’s mix things up and let the fresh ideas emerge!
Have you ever seen an image of muddy river water as it flows into sea water? Many times, the “freshwater” will flow forward on top of the denser saltwater, forming a stunning, brown-blue line of demarcation (Google it). Freshwater and saltwater often mix slowly.
Conversely, community-engaged research can create a quick mix of fresh ideas and practical solutions for global water problems. This is happening in rural India through the research partnership between the Sehgal Foundation and University of Iowa engineering students and faculty. Together they battle against saltwater intrusion into shallow groundwater as part of the university’s award-winning India Winterim program. A new exchange grant from the United States-India Education Foundation will expand their work in the agricultural Mewat District of rural India. Through the educational exchange, they will implement and assess an evidence-based engineering training model that emphasizes place-based learning for sustainable water development in resource-constrained communities. The project mutually benefits U.S. and Indian partners by creating new capacity to train students, generate knowledge, and improve water sustainability in India.
A major initiative of the Sehgal Foundation in the Mewat District is the implementation of engineered practices designed to improve freshwater supplies. Check dams are being constructed in the Aravalli Hills to store monsoon runoff and enhance freshwater recharge. Innovative rainwater harvesting systems are being installed at schools to store captured water in underground freshwater pockets that resist saltwater intrusion. Remember, freshwater and saltwater often mix slowly. University of Iowa students and faculty have surveyed the topography and water storage dynamics of check dams and measured water salinity in and around the underground freshwater pockets. They also predicted the amount of rainwater captured from rooftops at schools, the mixing of captured rainwater with saline groundwater at the freshwater pockets, and designed systems to capture and divert pollutants away from these freshwater pockets. The science-based projects over the past five India Winterim course offerings have significantly advanced our understanding of the effectiveness of Sehgal’s freshwater enhancement initiatives.
Remember, community-engaged research can create a quick mix of fresh ideas and practical solutions.
We need more community-engaged research in resource-constrained settings, both internationally and domestically. The educational and cultural exchange experienced through international development partnerships can often lead to new ways of thinking that can benefit the homeland. A University of Iowa engineering student trained to develop solutions to drinking water issues in rural India can apply the same skills to issues faced by rural Iowans. Study abroad can be an extremely transformational learning experience, but participation by engineering students is less than 10%. Today, short-term study abroad programs account for most of such experiences, and research shows they effectively enhance technical, professional, and global competency skills. The interdisciplinary nature of the projects and the international setting help students appreciate how their engineering decisions impact society.
So, for the sake of society, let’s mix things up and let the fresh ideas emerge!
Join us at WorldCanvass on November 13 to learn more about this exciting research collaboration and other educational exchanges between Iowa and India. The program, called “Educational Cross-fertilization: the Iowa/India Connection,” begins with the presentation of the 2018 International Impact Award by UI President Bruce Harreld to Jay Sehgal and the Sehgal Foundation, longtime educational partners and supporters of India Winterim. WorldCanvass, a production of International Programs, is held at MERGE, 136 South Dubuque Street, from 5:30-7 p.m., with a pre-show reception from 5-5:30 p.m. The program is free and open to all.
Craig Just, associate professor, civil and environmental engineering, College of Engineering
Marian Muste, research engineer, IIHR hydroscience and engineering, College of Engineering
Allen Bradley, professor, civil and environmental engineering, College of Engineering
