NU Water is embarking on a new chapter to expand beyond its previous title as the Center for Water Research. Its mission is to create a campus-wide community around water.
The Center for Water Research was founded almost ten years ago. Co-director and McCormick Prof. Aaron Packman said the goal of the center was to establish cross-departmental connections between faculty exploring water research, as well as to develop international and regional partnerships.
Water security research stretches across disciplines, investigating topics like water purification and energy in STEM fields. Humanities researchers explore topics like water policy and equity. NU Water’s core aim is to promote water security globally.
Packman said he now looks forward to their expanded mission, making NU “synonymous with excellence in water.”
“What we’re aiming to do is to have the next iteration, to build the NU campus community around water to be comprehensive, identify and then raise the visibility of NU Water broadly and extend this out to people who haven’t been involved before,” Packman said.
Co-director of NU Water and anthropology Prof. Sera Young said she’s eager to expand the center’s reach beyond just water experts, which has historically been the primary focus.
To bring its mission to life, Young said NU Water is fostering interdisciplinary spaces through a plethora of community events in order to highlight this community.
“I would say that water has been hiding in plain sight here at Northwestern,” Young said. “We’re just trying to shine a light on all of the awesome things that are already happening.”
Last year, the center launched monthly “Watering Hole” events, a 15-minute faculty talk followed by networking opportunities to engage experts in dialogue on water issues, according to Young. This October, a new “Wildcats in Water” talk series will provide students with the same opportunity.
Young said NU Water also hosts jamborees, large gatherings for researchers across the University to brainstorm and share their passions. She said these events help shift NU Water from a hub for water experts to a broader community.
Fifth-year environmental engineering Ph.D. candidate Emma Shapiro is part of the new Student Leadership Council. The Student Leadership Council came out of a group of passionate students at an event last spring, according to Shapiro.
Shapiro said her research is about removing contaminants from wastewater, working collaboratively with a chemistry lab who makes chemicals that she then tests and scales to examine its applications. Shapiro said NU Water helps manage some of the collaborations in her research.
For Shapiro, the rebrand of NU Water is about connecting passionate water enthusiasts beyond just the sciences, including disciplines like history and social policy.
“It can be misconstrued that it’s just for people interested in research and is really science-focused,” Shapiro said. “But we’re trying to get away from that and show that we’re not just about science, but it’s very interdisciplinary.”
Email: AshleyWei2028@u.northwestern.edu
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