Ethan Bush is a PhD student in the bioinformatics and computational biology program at Iowa State University. He joined the Iowa Water Center as an I-RAISE (Iowa Research Administration Internship Student Experience) cohort in August. I-RAISE is a cross-institutional program designed to build a more robust regional research administration workforce for the future.
Tell us about some of the sessions at the 2025 Iowa Water Conference that resonated with you.
- Pat Boddy’s “Water: All the Rage” keynote stuck with me because it moved past presenting information and focused on action. She laid out concrete, workable steps for communities in Iowa and made it clear where each of us can plug in. I felt both urgency and agency with realistic solutions I can help advance rather than abstract ideas. There was a mix of clarity, practicality, and momentum.
- I also served as the room host for David Cwiertney’s talk titled “Is the Mississippi River a Source for PFAS Contamination in Alluvial Aquifers?” David is a professor at the University of Iowa and is researching PFAS (forever chemicals) and their occurrence in shallow wells adjacent to the Mississippi river near Muscatine, Iowa. He explained how river systems can move contaminants into drinking water sources. His talk helped me understand the pathway of these pollutants and their risk. In addition to the sites monitored by David and his colleagues, samples from private drinking wells were collected by public health officials. David mentioned some community tension around this testing for PFAS as some people expressed their fear of limiting their access to water from their private wells. He was honest about both the data and the social resistance.
Why does water quality matter so much to you?
- Water quality matters to me because I grew up in Flint, Michigan, and lived through the water crisis. This was when the city decided to pump water from the Flint River without treating it and lead from aging pipes leaked into the water supply. I saw how losing trust in water quality changes daily life, health, and a community’s sense of safety. Clean water is vital. Living through that experience is why I want transparent testing, strong standards, and accountability from all stakeholders in Iowa.
Why did you decide to participate in the I-RAISE program?
- While I am familiar with academic research, I wanted to learn more about research administration. Before participating in I-RAISE, I did not realize research administration was its own field. I now see that it is foundational to conducting research.