Governor’s Water conference to be held next week

The 2019 Oklahoma Governor’s Water Conference and Research Symposium will be held next week in Midwest City.

Michigan State University professor and Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research, Joan Rose, will be the luncheon keynote speaker on December 5 at the 2019 Oklahoma Governor’s Water Conference in Midwest City.

Dr. Rose has received many rewards for her outstanding work as an international expert in water microbiology, water quality, and public health.  Most notably, she received the 2016 Stockholm Water Prize for her leadership and accomplishments in the water science field.

She and her colleagues are developing new genetic analytics to further investigate waterborne threats. Her work is unique in that is focuses less on the commonly studied pathogen indicator species, and concentrates more on serious human health threats such as viruses.

Joan and her “water detectives,” as she calls them, are working on a variety of projects. They have investigated freshwater contamination stemming from septic systems and are working to provide a stronger base for evaluating how septic systems affect watersheds and how this ties into the relationship between water quality and human health. Viral invasions in the Great Lakes is another area of interest for the team. Rose is not only devoted to water quality here in the United States, but has also been working in Singapore for the last 14 years on water infrastructure and water quality assessment. She was named an honorary citizen in Singapore for her extensive work in the country.

After winning the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize, Joan explained why she is so dedicated to her profession. “Water is the core of sustainability, and water quality affects the health of our planet, with humans, animals, and plants equally impacted,” Rose said. “It affects our food security, our economic opportunities and our well-being.”

The conference will be held December 4-5th in Midwest City