Professor Suat Irmak and a group of scientists from other universities won this year's USDA-NIFA National Water and Energy Conservation Award.
The award honors a significant achievement in conserving water and energy through irrigation engineering, equipment, methods and techniques. This year’s winner is the USDA-NIFA Multistate Project W-3128, “Scaling Microirrigation Technologies to Address the Global Water Challenge.”
The project involved research and extension professionals from numerous universities, federal laboratories and industry partners. The group made research directors and USDA professionals and other professionals aware of the advances in and importance of irrigation technology because it influences so much of the economy and the ability to sustainably manage water resources.
"This group did not only conduct important research but also effectively disseminated the data and information in a practical, user-friendly format via field days, publications, recordings and websites and other platforms," Irmak said. "This is critical since practical implementation of research findings is a pressing challenge for end users who often struggle to keep pace with today’s new technologies and strategies to better manage natural resources."
Irmak has been an active member of W-3128 for years, working with other scientists on interlocking water-related issues, ranging from plant physiology to soil physics, modeling, irrigation science and engineering, and technology applications. The W-3128 group documents and shares the science that has advanced the development, use and practical application of microirrigation in agriculture.