World Water Day at Michigan Tech

The 2016 World Water Day program at Michigan Tech will examine several aspects of the United Nations-selected theme "Water & Jobs."

The keynote speaker will be John Austin, director of the Economic Center at Prima Civitas Foundation, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, president of the Michigan School Board and a lecturer at the University of Michigan.

Austin is well known for authoring the report "Healthy Waters, Strong Economy" which led to federal support for Great Lakes clean-up and restoration and regional understanding and actions to build on our Great Lakes and water resources as an economic asset.

Austin, who coined the term "Blue Economy," will speak on Water & Jobs in the regional context at 4 p.m. Mar. 22. This theme will be addressed from several viewpoints at a panel discussion to be held on March 23.

Participants are being invited who can bring a variety of insights to the theme of water and economy. On the evening of March 23, a film about the "daylighting" of rivers will be shown to highlight the community revitalization possible through wise use of water resources.

A student poster competition to showcase classwork and research on water-related themes will be displayed the afternoon of March 22.

Mark your calendars and look for further details, including the location of all of the events, after the new year.

The annual World Water Day program at Michigan Tech is coordinated and sponsored by the Michigan Tech Center for Water & Society (CWS) and its members.