News and Highlights
This is a list of past iUTAH EPSCoR news from 2012 to 2018.
February 25, 2016
Researchers contribute to Great Salt Lake study
iUTAH researchers Sarah Null from Utah State University and Maura Hahnenberger from Salt Lake Community College contributed to a formal paper concerning issues surrounding the Great Salt Lake. A white paper detailing the Impacts of Water Development on Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch Front came out on February 24, 2016.
The lake has recently reached new historic lows. Water diversions continue to reduce the water supply to the lake, reducing its elevation by 11 feet and exposing much of the lake bed. "Because most of Utah’s population is located near Great Salt Lake, health impacts from exposed lake bed could potentially affect even more people," the paper warns.
Contributors to the paper hope that it will start dialogue about how important the lake is to Utah’s ecosystem, economy, and quality of life. Other collaborators on the paper include Wayne Wurtsbaugh and Peter Wilcock of USU, Craig Miller of the Utah Division of Water Resources, and Frank Howe of USU and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Press: USU White Paper | Deseret News | Salt Lake Tribune | Herald Journal | KSL News | KUER Radio | KUSU Radio | The Atlantic/CitiLab | Inhabit | Headline & Global News | Digital Journal | Newser | Houston Chronicle | HuffPost Science | EcoWatch | The Weather Channel | AccuWeather
February 24, 2016
Undergrads Present Water-Related iUTAH Research at UCUR
Students from all over the state participated in the annual Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research (UCUR), held February 19, 2016 on the University of Utah campus. Six students associated with iUTAH EPSCoR presented research at this year’s conference. Viviane Baji, Matthew Barnett, and Jordan Risley, all from Utah State University, examined different aspects of the Utah Water Survey/iPad Project conducted last summer. Student participants include:
- Christopher Mansfield, Westminster College, working with RCG awardees, oral:
Environmental Influences of Methylmercury Photo-Degradation Rates at the Great Salt Lake - Hannah Peterson, UVU, working with RCG awardees, poster:
Temporal and Spatial Variations of Trace Metal Loading to Utah Lake - Jordan Risley, USU, iFellow, poster:
The Impact of Farm Ties on Concern About Climate Change - Matthew Barnett, USU, iFellow, poster:
Does Water-Based Outdoor Recreation have an Impact on the Environmental Concerns and Perceptions of Utahns? - Viviane Baji, USU, iFellow, poster:
Impact of Age on Water Shortage Concern - Zack Oldroyd, USU, iFellow, oral:
Utah Water Voices
Now in its 10th year, UCUR gives students the chance to formally present visual and/or oral presentations of their work in a scholarly setting to students, faculty, field specialists, and community members. It also offers an informal networking opportunity. State colleges and universities take turns hosting UCUR. Next year’s Conference will be held at Utah Valley University.
Press: U of U Press Release | Daily Utah Chronicle | Deseret News | Fox 13 News
February 19, 2016
iUTAH Team Lead Receives NSF CAREER Award
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has named Utah State University junior faculty member Jeff Horsburgh winner of an Early CAREER award. Jeff is one of two Engineering faculty members at USU to be chosen to receive the prestigious CAREER Award this year. The grant of approximately $500,000 will help advance fundamental research in areas of water resources engineering and computer science.
Horsburgh is using iUTAH datasets, data, and sociology infrastructure to inform his research which contributed to this award. His research will focus on smart water metering technology, including new tools to collect, shrink and transform the data into useful information products for water managers.
For more on the Horsburgh research, visit “Two USU engineering professors receive prestigious grants" published on February 24, 2016, Herald Journal
February 17, 2016
Paul Brooks Named State EPSCoR Director
University of Utah professor Paul Brooks, of the Geology and Geophysics department, has been named as the new program director of the Utah Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
“Utah is poised to take a leading role in both basic research, to generate new knowledge, and in applied research, putting that knowledge to work addressing critical issues facing the economic development and environmental sustainability of the state in the future,” said Brooks.
For more on the Brooks appointment, visit "U. Professor Named State EPSCoR Director" published on February 22, 2016, U of U Press Release.
February 16, 2016
SUU Museums Partner for STEAM Festival
iUTAH researcher Jackie Grant shared news on the 2016 STEAM Festival and Children's Jubilee, which was held February 11-13, 2016 on the Southern Utah University (SUU) campus in Cedar City.
The event featured hands-on exhibitions with a STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math theme. Students also learned about film music composition, and were treated to a music and dance performances by both the Southern Utah University Polynesian Club and the Orchestra of Southern Utah.
Grant estimated that 2,000 people attended the three-day event, participating in a wide variety of activities. Elementary school students led by SUU students learned about water conservation and integrating art & circuitry with the MaKey MaKey invention kit. Teachers and university educators were given three hours on their own on Saturday morning to visit and learn at STEAM booths. Among the many activities at the STEAM festival, participants explored structural engineering concepts, created catapults, welded, and learned about molecules.
Dr. Grant, an assistant professor of biology, is also the museum curator of the Garth and Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History. She was the recipient of an iUTAH Research Catalyst Grant in 2014, which involved museum visitors in green roof infrastructures.
Photo credit : David Paystrup / The Spectrum & Daily News
February 15, 2016
City Councils Hear Water Survey Results
Throughout January, iUTAH researchers Doug Jackson-Smith, Melissa Haeffner, and Sarah Hinners presented the findings of the iUTAH 2014 survey to city councils in the greater Salt Lake Valley area.
Initially, more than 2,300 households were surveyed in Cache, Salt Lake, and Wasatch counties in the summer of 2014. The survey collected detailed information about how local residents in distinctive neighborhoods use and think about water in their daily lives. Since that time, survey results have been compiled and processed, and are available to researchers, water managers, and the general public at the iUTAH website. The survey provides extensive scientific data on current residential water management and public support for a range of water policies.
The next step of this process is to share these findings with local and state water managers. So far, presentations on how local residents use and think about water in their daily lives have been made to the South Jordan, Riverton, and West Jordan city councils, reaching between 35 and 60 participants. “We are excited to continue building our relationship with the people of the Salt Lake Valley,” said Doug Jackson-Smith. “It was a great opportunity to return to the city to share our survey results while introducing our ongoing project to elected city council persons. “
More presentations will be made in the coming months, including one to the Salt Lake City council.
Photo Credit: Melissa Haeffner
