Students research ways to reduce water use, increase food production

Eight students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are working on projects to contribute to a more water and food secure world, thanks to grants from the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska. In total, the institute awarded nine grants to University of Nebraska faculty for student-led projects.

The $310,000 grant program, which is in its first year, supports the interdisciplinary research of the institute's Faculty Fellows while enriching the education of students who will become scientific leaders in the effort to feed the world's growing population. The funding covers two postdoctoral fellows and nine graduate and undergraduate student research assistantships from July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015. The projects range from testing the drought tolerance of wheat roots to deploying robots for aerial water sampling.

"Education is an essential part of the institute's mission," said Christopher Neale, director of research. "We are excited to roll out our student support program and help faculty and their students pursue projects that will advance the University of Nebraska’s efforts to provide solutions for global water and food security."

The following is a list by hometown of UNL students supported by the grants:

IN NEBRASKA

Beatrice

> James Higgins, mechanical and materials engineering, for the project "Enabling Sub-Surface Aerial Water Sampling for Water Management and Quality Analysis." Faculty Fellow: Carrick Detweiler, assistant professor, computer science and engineering.

Lincoln

> William Avery, School of Natural Resources, for the project "Improving Soil Moisture Monitoring in Agricultural Systems Using Hydrogeophysics." Faculty Fellow: Trenton Franz, assistant professor of hydrogeophysics, School of Natural Resources.

> Kate Boone, agronomy and horticulture, for the project "Revealing the Links Between Crop Production, Irrigation and Inter-annual Changes in Groundwater Levels in Nebraska." Faculty Fellow:

Patricio Grassini, assistant professor, agronomy and horticulture.

Omaha

> Joseph W. Arneson, senior water science major, School of Natural Resources; Mariah R. Lundgren, senior environmental studies major, School of Natural Resources, for the "Platte Basin Time Lapse Project." Faculty Fellow: Michael Farrell, assistant professor of practice, agricultural leadership, education and communication.

> Sarah Blecha, agronomy and horticulture, for the project "Improving Drought Tolerance of Wheat Through More Adaptive Roots." Faculty Fellow: Harkamal Walia, assistant professor, agronomy and horticulture.

ELSEWHERE

Zacatecas, Mexico

> Lorena Castro García, biological systems engineering, for the project "Software Development for Water and Agriculture-Resources Data and Information Access: The Case of the Water for Food Interoperability System." Faculty Fellow: Francisco Muñoz-Arriola, assistant professor in hydroinformatics and integrated hydrology, Biological Systems Engineering and School of Natural Resources.

Kandy, Sri Lanka

> Rachindra Mawalagedara, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, for the project "Leveraging DWFI Resources to Address Water for Agriculture in Latin America under a Changing Climate." Faculty Fellow: Robert Oglesby, professor in climate modeling, climate change and variability, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

Profiles of the students' research are available on the institute’s website at http://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/2014-2015-student-and-postdoctoral-grantees. To learn more, contact research and outreach coordinator Rachael Herpel at rherpel@nebraska.edu or 402-472-4977.

The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska was founded in 2010 to address the global challenge of achieving food security with less stress on water resources through improved water management in agricultural and food systems. The institute is committed to ensuring a water and food secure world while maintaining the use of water for other human and environmental needs.