Water activist honored with OU International Water Prize

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Martha Gebeyehu, coordinator for Ethiopia’s Water Expertise and Training Centre, was presented the OU International Water Prize and gave the plenary lecture at the sixth Biennial OU International WaTER Conference banquet on Sept. 17, 2019 to an audience of around 180 Conference attendees at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

Gebeyehu was named the recipient of the 2019 International Water Prize in September of 2018 by a panel of five water experts from around the world during the 2018 OU International WaTER Symposium. Gebeyehu was selected for her ongoing commitment to empowering and training people to manage their own water and sanitation.

“Martha is serving some of the world’s poorest in some of the most rural and remote regions of Ethiopia,” said Shauna Curry, chief executive officer of the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology. “Her belief in the power of people to bring change to their own homes led to her work in the area of household water treatment. This quickly broadened to the entire area of water, sanitation and hygiene with low-cost technology that people can implement themselves.”

While pursuing a master’s degree in business administration, Gebeyehu became the first water quality analyst for the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church Development Commission implementing safe testing practices and procedures. Her growing knowledge, coupled with an eagerness to share her expertise, led her to initiate the development of a laboratory and facilitate the first water quality workshops. She has personally educated and trained over 1,000 individuals for the WET Center. Now she serves as WET Center coordinator, guiding WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects from conception and implementing research projects to effectively link government water policy to rural communities.

“I became interested in working with WASH through a strong understanding of the technical aspects of water quality and a drive to share my knowledge with others,” says Gebeyehu. “Ultimately, I am dedicated to serving those in need so that they can reach their full potential and well-being.”

Sponsored by the University of Oklahoma Water Technologies for Emerging Regions (WaTER) Center, the International Water Prize is one of the first and largest prizes dedicated solely to the field of water supply and sanitation in remote areas of emerging regions. The award-winner is selected through a nomination process and honors an individual that has made significant contributions in these areas, particularly communities in rural or remote regions.

To learn more about the OU WaTER Center’s commitment to pioneer integrated solutions that revolutionize development and adoption of sustainable water and sanitation technologies for developing countries through teaching, research and service innovations, visit WaTER.ou.edu.

Sabatini Receives International Service Award

CEES professor David A. Sabatini was selected to receive the 2017 International Association of Hydrogeologists, U.S. National Chapter’s International Service Award for his many years of promoting sustainable water resources projects in developing and impoverished countries, particularly through the creation of the OU Water Technologies for Emerging Regions Center. Sabatini has shown outstanding commitment to the international community and its groundwater needs.

“This award is well-deserved and reflects the international stature of Professor David Sabatini in his field,” said OU President David L. Boren. “No one has done more to help develop safe water for those who desperately need it. The OU family is very grateful to Dr. Sabatini.”

Sabatini, David Ross Boyd Professor and Sun Oil Company Endowed Chair of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science in the Gallogly College of Engineering, is being recognized as director of the OU Water Center and for his career-long commitment to improving the lives of others through the development of water technologies. He received the prestigious service award at the 2017 Geological Society of America’s annual meeting in Seattle in October.

Sabatini founded the OU WaTER Center in 2006 to promote peace by advancing health, education and economic development through sustainable water and sanitation solutions for impoverished regions. As the organization’s director, he has been integral in the success of the center and the biennial University of Oklahoma International WaTER Conference, which is designed to bring together participants from multiple disciplines worldwide in response to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of bringing water and sanitation to emerging global regions.

OU Could Create a Fast Track for Environmental Science Degrees

OKLAHOMA CITY– The University of Oklahoma could soon award students a master's degree in environmental science without requiring them to spend years on the campus.

Robert W. Nairn, Ph.D.

Robert Nairn is a professor at the university's School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science. He said there is a program in the works that would allow students to complete their degrees online. That would be geared toward people who are already working in the field, he said.  "What we’re seeing is that in environmental fields in general, the long-term job outlook is better than average," he said. "There are going to be jobs out there.  What we do often see, though, are employers looking for a certain level of experience.  The online program would allow the scientists to raise their education level without sparing their time in the professional world", Nairn said.

Job growth in environmental science is outpacing the country's average growth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment demand for environmental scientists and specialists is projected to increase by 11 percent from 2014 to 2024. Over the same time period, employment demand in general is expected to increase 7 per

cent.

"In Oklahoma", Nairn said," some of that growth can be attributed to a less obvious natural resource.

 Water is right now and is only going to be a bigger and bigger issue in the state of Oklahoma," he said. "There are a lot of opportunities to be more efficient and more effective. We all know how critical too little and too much water might be."

The Oklahoma Legislature implemented the Water for 2060 Act in 2012. The ambitious plan would keep Oklahoma's water consumption flat from 2012 to 2060 despite the state's population growth projections.  Three groups that use the most water are projected to demand 20 percent more by 2060, if no conservation takes place. Oklahoma's largest water users are municipalities, industrial users and crop irrigators. The state's long-term water conservation plan aims to save 98 billion gallons annually.

"The state's most visible natural resource industry is also seeing some more demand for environmental services", said Jason Martin, a managing member at Boomer Environmental in Oklahoma City. The firm offers several services, but focuses on environmental cleanup. "Oklahoma's an oil and gas state", he said. "The oil and gas companies are kind of coming around to be more environmentally friendly."  He said that demand is increasing for the services, and that people might want to go back to school to get into the field, but having to stop working might keep them from doing so.

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This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved. Source: Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City, OK)

ODOT Now Implementing ShakeCast Software

Scott Harvey

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation  reported in a press release dated Monday, August 7 that it is now implementing ShakeCast, a program originally created by the U.S. Geological Survey. CEES assistant professor Scott Harvey and professor K.K. Muraleetharan implemented ShakeCast for ODOT in collaboration with ODOT bridge engineers and Infrastructure Engineers, Inc. of Edmond..  The program is designed to assist ODOT employees to quickly prioritize which bridges need to be inspected immediately after an earthquake. 

“This technology is one of the biggest advances in ensuring public safety that I’ve seen in my 30-year career at the department,” said Casey Shell, ODOT chief engineer.  “By comparing state bridge data with the severity of an earthquake’s ground motions, ShakeCast will allow us to inspect fewer bridges but with a much greater degree of confidence that we could quickly find any potential damage.”

K.K. Muraleetharan

“This has been an incredible opportunity for the University of Oklahoma to play a central role in addressing a problem of state significance and national interest,” said Harvey.  “My colleagues and I are very excited that we have been able to save ODOT time and money, as well as easing some of the concern surrounding Oklahoma’s earthquake activity.”  Read more......