CAREER: CAS- Climate: Advancing Water Sustainability and Economic Resilience through Research and Education: An Integrated Systems Approach

在气候变化、基础设施陈旧和争夺稀缺水资源的双重压力下，与水有关的经济风险和不可持续的用水将会加速。在日益相互关联的经济中，与水有关的风险可能会通过相互关联的河流、贸易和电力网络传播到其他地区。然而，美国水管理和科学的传统方法并没有考虑水文和经济系统中多尺度的相互依存关系。为了在经济中改善用水风险和更可持续地用水，需要了解(I)不同行业内用水的驱动因素，(Ii)用水的来源和位置，以及(Iii)实现用水并在供应链网络中形成依赖关系的基础设施。该项目将解决如何在相互连接的水文、经济和基础设施网络中更可持续地使用水的根本问题。更具体地说，这项研究将(I)确定工业用水的经济、环境、技术和监管决定因素；(Ii)从概念上和分析上将含水层、河流和配套基础设施与支撑国家粮食供应的灌溉农田联系起来；(Iii)揭示当地和非当地的脆弱性，以及在相互关联的水文、基础设施和供应链网络中改善可持续性的机会。工作带来的科学进步和学生培训将支持全国对更具弹性的供应链和基础设施的迫切需求，以支持更可持续的经济。这项研究的首要科学问题是：基础设施、水文和经济系统如何融合，以影响美国经济中的用水和风险？这项工作将利用机器学习、多层网络分析和地理空间工具来利用大规模数据，以揭示工业用水的驱动因素、经济中对水基础设施的依赖以及水文经济系统中嵌入的缺水风险和机会。在最近研究的基础上，通过独特的数据访问，该项目旨在产生基础设施级别的洞察，了解美国经济中使用的水资源在哪里、用于什么目的以及来自什么来源。研究进展将被整合到一个教育计划中，该计划将产生关于不同可持续发展和系统科学教学方法在本科生和K-12设置下的有效性的新知识。本科生、科学家和中学科学教师将利用研究成果，共同为K-12学生开发互动网络工具、面对面演示、儿童审阅的科学出版物和教案。利用这些教育工具，PI和本科生将与当地和地区的中小学生互动。美国地质调查局水科学学院(每年有750万独立访客)将在世界各地的传统和虚拟教室中提供教育工具。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Water-related economic risks and unsustainable water uses will accelerate under the combined pressures of climate change, antiquated infrastructure, and competition for scarce water. In an increasingly interconnected economy, water-related risks can spread through linked river, trade, and electricity networks to other areas. Yet, traditional approaches to U.S. water management and science do not consider multi-scale interdependencies within the hydrologic and economic systems. Efforts to ameliorate water risks and use water more sustainably within the economy will require an understanding of (i) the drivers of water use within different industries, (ii) the source and location of water uses, and (iii) the infrastructure that enables water use and creates dependencies within supply chain networks. This project will address fundamental questions regarding how water can be used more sustainably within interconnected hydrologic, economic, and infrastructure networks. More specifically, this research will (i) determine the economic, environmental, technological, and regulatory determinants of industrial water uses; (ii) conceptually and analytically connect aquifers, rivers, and supporting infrastructure to the irrigated croplands that underpin the nation’s food supply; and (iii) reveal local and nonlocal vulnerabilities and opportunities for improved sustainability within the interconnected hydrologic, infrastructure, and supply chain networks. The scientific advances and student training stemming from work will support a pressing national need for more resilient supply chains and infrastructure to support a more sustainable economy.The overarching scientific question of this research is: How do infrastructure, hydrologic, and economic systems converge to shape water use and risks within the U.S. economy? This work will harness large- scale data with machine learning, multilayer network analysis, and geospatial tools to uncover the drivers of industrial water use, water infrastructure dependencies within the economy, and the water scarcity risks and opportunities embedded within the hydro-economic system. Building on recent research and through unique data access, this project aims to produce infrastructure-level insights regarding where, for what purpose, and from what source water is used within the U.S. economy. Research advances will be integrated within an education plan that will generate new knowledge regarding the efficacy of different sustainability and systems science instructional methods within undergraduate and K- 12 settings. Undergraduate students, scientists, and middle school science teachers will utilize research findings to co-develop interactive webtools, in-person demonstrations, kid-reviewed scientific publications, and lesson plans for K-12 students. Using these educational tools, the PI and undergraduate students will engage with local and regional elementary and middle school students. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Science School (7.5M+ unique annual visitors) will make educational tools available for use in traditional and virtual classrooms worldwide.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.