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

在气候变化、陈旧的基础设施和对稀缺水资源的竞争的综合压力下，与水有关的经济风险和不可持续的用水将加速。在一个相互联系日益紧密的经济体中，与水有关的风险可以通过相互联系的河流、贸易和电力网络传播到其他地区。然而，美国水资源管理和科学的传统方法没有考虑水文和经济系统中的多尺度相互依赖性。在经济中改善水风险和更可持续地使用水的努力将需要了解（i）不同行业用水的驱动因素，（ii）用水的来源和位置，以及（iii）使水使用和在供应链网络中建立依赖关系的基础设施。该项目将解决有关如何在相互关联的水文，经济和基础设施网络中更可持续地使用水的基本问题。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，河流和支持基础设施与支撑国家粮食供应的灌溉农田联系起来;以及（iii）揭示当地和非当地的脆弱性以及在相互关联的水文、基础设施供应链网络。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汇聚在一起，塑造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、经济中的水基础设施依赖性以及水利经济系统中的水资源短缺风险和机遇。基于最近的研究，并通过独特的数据访问，该项目旨在产生基础设施层面的见解，关于在美国经济中使用水的地点，目的和来源。研究进展将整合到教育计划中，该计划将产生有关本科和K-12环境中不同可持续发展和系统科学教学方法功效的新知识。本科生，科学家和中学科学教师将利用研究成果共同开发交互式网络工具，亲自演示，儿童审查的科学出版物和K-12学生的课程计划。使用这些教育工具，PI和本科生将与当地和地区的小学和中学生接触。美国地质调查局的水科学学校（每年有750万名独立访问者）将为世界各地的传统和虚拟教室提供教育工具。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.