The annual Water@Michigan event highlighted diverse water-focused research on campus, connecting water researchers from a broad range of campus units, and fostering discussions to help spark future projects.
Lightning Talks and Presentation Summaries
Presenters delivered 5-minute lightning talks on the theme, Invisible Threats. "Invisible threats" encompass the multitude of critical and emerging water issues hidden from the public eye until an emergency situation occurs. Below you can find a video and a one-page summary of each presentation:
"Tracing Shorelines"
María Arquero de Alarcón is an Associate Professor at the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan and partner of MAde-Studio (www.MAde-Studio.org). Her presentation illustrates the role of visualization techniques as a component of local planning efforts in small, US Great Lakes communities, in the face of climate uncertainty.
"Predicting Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species by Lake Currents"
Dmitry Beletsky is a Research Scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research at the University of Michigan. His presentation explores the potential dispersal of Golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) larvae in Lake Michigan using a three-dimensional particle transport model.
"Innovation in Watershed, Great Lakes, and Coastal Ocean Science and Engineering"
John Bratton is Senior Scientist at LimnoTech, Inc. In his lightning talk, he shares the ways that the private sector can partner with academic researchers to explore questions and issues in water science.
"Opportunities of Collaboration with the United States Geological Survey"
Lisa Fogarty is Science Chief of Water Resource Investigations at the United States Geological Survey. She shares the ways academic water research scientists can collaborate with the Michigan-Ohio Water Science Center.
Science for Fishery Management and Restoration
Marc Gaden is the Communications Director and Legislative Liaison for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC). In this talk, he provides an overview of the GLFC mission and its research focus areas.
"The Relative Influence of Groundwater and Canal Irrigation on Winter Crop Production in India"
Meha Jain is Assistant Professor at the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. Her presentation explores whether Indian farmers who use groundwater or those who use canal irrigation have better yield for their winter wheat crop.
"Understanding Mechanisms Underlying the Rate of Recovery of Mercury-Contaminated Lakes"
Mary Lynam is Assistant Research Scientist of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. She shares her research on the rate of recovery for mercury-contaminated lakes throughout the Great Lakes region.
"Unfolded Shorelines: Stormwater Adventures in the Great Lakes"
Jen Maigret is Associate Professor of Architecture at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan. Her presentation discuss the role that visualization techniques can play in bridging the divide between abstract data and the daily experiences of individuals living in the Great Lakes basin.
"Combining Comparative Genetics and Graph Databases to Improve Harmful Algal Blooms Analysis"
Kevin Meyer is a Postdoctoral Fellows at the University of Michigan Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research. In this presentation, he shares new harmful algal bloom research findings. Meyer combines “omics,” ecological, and chemical data to better identify environmental drivers in Lake Erie, as well as the genetic pathways and physiological response in the Microcystis algal community.
"Local Government Views on Drinking Water Infrastructure"
Sarah is a Postdoctoral Fellow and Michigan Public Policy Survey Project Manager at the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy within the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Sarah Mills presents results from the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS), an on-going census survey of local leaders across the state, on how local leaders view their jurisdiction's drinking water system.
"Misaligned Mission Hitches"
Richard Norton is Professor at the A. Alfred Taubaum College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan. His presentation reviews the challenges he and his collaborators have confronted while conducting research on local planning for enhanced community resilience by Michigan’s Great Lakes coastal communities.
"Water Quality and Managing Pollutant Load in Washtenaw County"
Evan Pratt is Water Resources Commissioner for Washtenaw County. His presentation provides an overview of the county's efforts to manage water quality and pollutant loads and outlines areas where researchers could support these efforts.
"Maladaptation to Metal Pollution in 'Resurrected' Zooplankton"
Mary Rogalski is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Michigan. In this presentation, she shares her research on the sensitivity of zooplankton to metal pollution following increasing exposure over the past 50-60 years.
"How is Data Science Guiding Flint Water Crisis Recovery?"
Eric Schwartz is an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He tells the story of how he, colleague Jacob Abernethy, and the Michigan Data Science Team are using data science to partner with the City of Flint in prioritizing lead service lines replacement throughout the city.
" 'Osmic Insights on the Biological Controls of Hydrogen Peroxide Dynamics During Lake Erie Harmful Algal Blooms"
Derek Smith is a PhD student in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Michigan. His presentation covers new research on the role of hydrogen peroxide dynamics in harmful algal bloom formation and severity.
"Can Predicting Social and Physical Vulnerability Illuminate Invisible Threats?"
Jonathan Sullivan is a PhD student in the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. His presentation explores how flood mapping and social vulnerability data could be combined with machine learning hydrology models to highlight flood risk areas.
"Legionella, A Persistent Water-Born Pathogen"
Michelle Swanson is Professor at the School of Medicine at the University of Michigan. Her presentation provides insights into Legionella pneumophila’s resistance to disinfection. This research is being performed in parallel with a study of L. pneumophila strains found in Flint, Michigan homes.
"The Unintended Impacts of Devices on Water Quality Post-Water Treatment Plant"
Chuanwu Xi is Professor of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. His presentation shares research findings on microbial colony formation in point of entry and point of use water filters in Doha, Qatar.