October 24, 2002 News Releases
Released 10/23/02
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS PRESENT RESEARCH
AT INRA
LOGAN — Acclaimed water expert Ron Sims, a civil and environmental
engineering professor at Utah State University, took his knowledge
to Boise, Idaho, Oct. 13 – 16 to present a paper about
restoring ground water to benefit the quality of life. Sims
was a presenter at the 2002 Subsurface Science Symposium presented
by the Inland Northwest Research Alliance (INRA) and the Idaho
National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.
Sims, the director for the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL)
in the College of Engineering at Utah State, presented “‘Management
Options and Environmental Sustainability’ with Regard
to Subsurface Remediation.”
Sims said that scientists often focus on removing or containing
contaminents that degrade the quality of soil and ground water,
but the focus should first be elsewhere.
“We need to focus on the rehabilitation of soil and groundwater
in the context of sustainable technologies for economic and
community development as well as the role sustainibility technology
plays in the improvement of quality of life, recreation and
business opportunities,” said Sims.
INRA has researchers with expertise in cleaning up and mitigating
contaminated subsurfaces. The group is a consortium of eight
universities in five states – Idaho, Montana, Utah, Alaska
and Washington. The consortium said that an abundant, clean,
safe and available water supply has always been in jeopardy,
courtesy of drought, contamination by pesticides and other toxic
chemicals. It hopes to solve this problem by working and researching
together.
“INRA provides a new model for regional universities to
work together to focus on sustainability issues that include
economic and industrial development and enhancement of quality
of life,” said Sims. “Future regional engineers
and scientists are currently being trained as graduate students
through INRA
fellowships that can take advantage of relevant programs at
each university thereby enhancing their studies.”
Three master’s students – Kevin Hall, Matthew Perry
and Aaron E. Swank – and three doctoral students –
Ibrahim Khadam, Yanna Liang and Karl C. Nieman – from
the College of Engineering presented technical research posters.
Other Utah State presenters included David Chandler, assistant
professor of plants, soils and biometeorology; Jagath Kaluarachchi,
professor of civil and environmental engineering; Mac McKee,
professor of civil and environmental engineering and associate
director of the UWRL; Susan Dawson, professor of sociology,
social work and anthropology; and Ahmed Said, doctoral student
in environmental engineering.
Sims has been Utah State’s program coordinator for INRA
since its inception four years ago. For more information about
INRA, contact Sims at (435) 797-3157.
October
23, 2002
Contact: Ron Sims (435) 797-3157
Writer: Maren Cartwright (435) 797-1355
UTAH STATE ENGLISH GRAD STUDENTS PRESENT PAPERS
AT NATIONAL MEETINGS
LOGAN – Six graduate students from Utah State University’s
Department of English presented papers this year at the annual
Western Literature Association (WLA) meetings in Tucson, Arizona.
Michaela Koenig, Eric Nankervis, Rachel Rich, Brandon Schrand,
Angela Waldie and Jason Williams all participated on panels
in the October meetings.
Participating students said they appreciated the unique opportunities
the conference afforded them. Schrand gained access to rare
research materials, while Koenig was able to meet the author
of the book her paper focused on. Williams noted that even scholars
who disagreed with the assertions made in his presentation offered
comments that were “gracious and informative.” Waldie
observed that “talking with professors and students from
other universities helped make me aware of trends in western
literary scholarship, as well as potential Ph.D. programs.”
Department of English faculty members Melody Graulich, Jan Roush,
Jennifer Sinor and Andrea Tinnemeyer presented papers as well.
Former Utah State grad students Matt Burkhart, Barbara Cook,
Joanna Hearne, Joe Staples and Rosanna Walker, all of whom are
now doctoral candidates in various programs around the country,
also presented papers.
Schrand says that as the conference went on, people were impressed
by Utah State’s presence. A panelist remarked to Schrand,
“You guys must have an excellent program at USU to be
sending so many people to WLA.”
“By the end of the conference we were referred to as the
‘USU entourage,’” said Schrand. Several of
the Utah State students have worked as editorial interns for
the journal “Western American Literature,” which
is housed at Utah State. They became familiar with WLA through
their involvement with the journal.
Oct.
23, 2002
Contact: Melody Graulich (435) 797-3855
Writer: Marina Hall (435) 797-3858
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