A Workshop for Creating a Water Education and Innovative Ecosystem

[1619958]人口增长以及随之而来的对更多食物和能源的需求，正在给城市、地区和国家向所有人提供安全、充足和负担得起的水的能力带来压力。气候的不确定性、世界含水层的迅速枯竭、城市化和发展中经济体的工业化，都表明人类正处于水危机之中。这些挑战对全球安全、生态系统健康和经济发展以及富人和穷人的健康安全都具有深远的影响。主要研究人员（pi）建议召集一个由教育工作者、行业合作伙伴和政府官员组成的工作组，参加为期一天的计划研讨会，为更广泛的新英格兰水社区发展一个更大的区域会议。pi相信，研讨会和会议将促进新英格兰水教育生态系统的建立，该生态系统将确定、讨论和分享解决方案，以改善供水的丰度、可及性和安全性。解决与安全、充足和负担得起的供水有关的问题的挑战对地区、国家和全球安全至关重要。这些讲习班将在东北举办，包括准备解决这些新出现的水问题的大学，工业伙伴对新技术的实施和商业化至关重要。2014年，一小群人成立了新英格兰水创新网络（NEWIN），其目标是为地区水行业提供共同的声音，并确定将水技术推向市场的最佳实践。此外，新英格兰水创新网络认识到吸引和激励下一代水专业人士的重要性。新英格兰水教育生态系统将提供一个将行业合作伙伴与教育合作伙伴聚集在一起的场所。此外，水问题的许多方面都有重要的政策组成部分。马萨诸塞州认识到这些挑战的重要性，并积极参与在基础研究和商业化阶段促进水创新的项目。培养高等教育、水务行业和政府之间的联系将加快解决方案的发展，并帮助学生准备好面对这些复杂的挑战。

1619958OatesPopulation growth and the concomitant need for more food and energy are stressing the ability of cities, regions, and nations to provide safe, abundant, and affordable water to all. The additional uncertainty in the climate, the rapid depletion of the world's aquifers, urbanization, and the industrialization of developing economies, all indicate that humanity is in the midst of a water crisis. These challenges have far reaching implications for global security, ecosystem health and economic development, as well as the health safety of both the wealthy and the poor. The principal investigators (PIs) propose to bring together a working group of educators, industry partners, and government officials that will participate in a one day planning workshop to develop a larger regional conference for the broader New England water community. The PIs believe the workshops and conferences will catalyze a New England Water Education Ecosystem that will identify, address, and share solutions to improve water supply abundance, access and safety.The challenges of solving problems related to safe, abundant, and affordable water supply are critical to the regional, national, and global security. The workshops will be in the northeast incorporating universities ready to tackle these emerging water problems, and partners in industry are critical to the implementation and commercialization of new technologies. In 2014, a small group of individuals incorporated the New England Water Innovation Network (NEWIN) with the goals of serving as a common voice for the regional water industry and identifying best practices for brining water technologies to market. Additionally, New England Water Innovation Network recognizes the importance of engaging and energizing the next generation of water professionals. The New England Water Education Ecosystem will provide a venue to bring industry partners together with educational partners. In addition, many aspects of the water issues have significant policy components. The State of Massachusetts recognizes the significance of these challenges and is actively engaged in programs to foster water innovation at the both the basic research and commercialization phases. Cultivating connections between higher education, water industry, and government will speed the development of solutions and help prepare students to face these complex challenges.