The Water Resources Research Institutes National Competitive Grants Program Accepting Proposals for Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Substances

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources, requests proposals for research projects to address the challenges and opportunities of understanding the effects of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances on water resources, which are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of this group of man-made substances on water quality and the resultant exposure to humans, other organisms, and ecosystems.

Research is needed to better understand these interactions and guide management decisions that will improve water resources at the regional or national scale.

For the 2023 National Competitive Grants Program, proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry:

  • Media-specific methods: Enhanced methods for detection on specific media, with a clear indication of new or different compounds, new or different methodological approaches, lower detection levels for specific media or compounds, especially with respect to EPA health guidelines for PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate).

Media of interest include (in ranked order) (1) Tissues/plasma, (2) sediment, (3) air or interfaces, (4) water.

  • Atmospheric sources: Improved understanding of atmospheric exchange in PFAS distribution and fate. This may include methods to determine transport of PFAS to the atmosphere and to subsequent receiving waters, such as a water method that determines “new” compounds based on their likelihood to occur in the atmosphere.
  • Processes oriented at molecular level: Process-oriented research of PFAS fate, transport, and effects, with emphasis on molecular-level understanding of PFAS precursor transformation, sorption dynamics, or mechanisms of bioaccumulation and(or) biological/ecological effects.

Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States is eligible to apply for a grant through a Water Research Institute or Center established under the provisions of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as amended (http://water.usgs.gov/wrri/index.php).

Proposals involving substantial collaboration between the USGS and university scientists are encouraged. Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration with discrete 12-month budget periods, and may request up to $279,000 in federal funds. Investigators much match one non-federal dollar to each federal dollar requested.

The deadline for submissions to the Iowa Water Center is April 15, 2023, 5: 00 p.m. Central Time. Investigators are encouraged to read through the Iowa Submission Guidelines prior to reviewing the FY2023 announcement.

104(g) Iowa Submission Guidelines

PFAS FY2023 announcement

The Water Resources Research Institutes: National Competitive Grants Program (104G) Accepting Proposals

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources, requests proposals for research projects to address improving and enhancing the nation’s water supply and availability, as well as promoting the exploration of new ideas that address or expand our understanding of water problems.

For the 2023 National Competitive Grants Program, proposals must address one of the priority areas:

  • National-scale evaluation of water budget: Retrospective or predictive analyses using hydroclimate-forcing data sets, with emphasis on CONUS404, which was developed in a USGS- NCAR collaboration.
    • Additional guidance includes: Emphasis on prediction of water-budget components through a variety of interpretive approaches; Incorporation of how uncertainty in hydroclimate-forcing propagates to water budget component; Consideration of both retrospective and projected conditions.
  • Socieoeconomics: Integrate ongoing USGS research and data collection in order to assess socioeconomic and ecological vulnerability to compounding extreme events and develop adaptation measures. This proposed project should undertake new research (e.g., Water Use and Social and Economic Drivers Program) to understand the vulnerability of urban (e.g., trans-basin diversions), agricultural (e.g., reservoir management), and ecological (e.g., endangered species) water-use sectors to drought and compounding hazards such as wildfire.
    • Additional guidance includes: Provide a quantifiable portfolio of risk for water-use sectors (including ecological and socio-economic); Develop climate futures and planning scenarios for relevant institutions: management, communities, other institutions.

Any investigator at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States is eligible to apply for a grant through a Water Research Institute or Center established under the provisions of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as amended (http://water.usgs.gov/wrri/index.php).

Proposals involving substantial collaboration between the USGS and university scientists are encouraged. Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration with discrete 12-month budget periods, and may request up to $310,000 in federal funds. Investigators much match one non-federal dollar to each federal dollar requested.

The deadline for submissions to the Iowa Water Center is April 15, 2022 5 p.m. Central Time. Investigators are encouraged to read through the Iowa Submission Guidelines prior to reviewing the FY2023 announcement.

104(g) Iowa Submission Guidelines

104(g) FY2023 announcement

Iowa Water Center Announces Available Research Grants

08.02.21 – Ames, Iowa – The Iowa Water Center Annual Competitive Grants Competition is open for faculty and graduate students at accredited institutions in the State of Iowa. This year, the Iowa Water Center is offering two funding opportunities: Graduate Student Supplemental Research Competition and a Targeted Seed Grant Research Competition.

The Graduate Student Supplemental Research Competition has funding of up to $5,000 for one-year projects for a maximum of three graduate students nearing completion of their program of study. This program allows for students to complete additional research objectives or products beyond the scope of their current water-related funded project. For this opportunity, proposals must address topics related to water resource management in Iowa. Iowa Water Center staff is available to assist students in the development of their submissions.

The Targeted Seed Grant Research Competition is intended to address the most pressing water research needs in Iowa, as determined by Iowa Water Center Advisory Board. The three focus areas for this opportunity are:

  • Water related hazards and society – exploration of the intersections of land/water use, and water hazards, climate change, or drought response. Research emphasizing social and environmental justice regarding these topics preferred.
  • Exploration and advancement of our understanding of harmful algae blooms (HABs). Proposals are sought that focus on innovations in monitoring the occurrence of HABs and algal toxins, research on factors that result in algal toxin production, and improvements in near-real time modeling and forecasting of toxin-producing blooms.
  • Emerging contaminants – Research on the fate, persistence, transport, and impacts of contaminants on water resources and ecosystem dynamics. Research can include social and/or economic assessment of the spread, detection, impacts, solutions, and management. Contaminants include per-and polyflouroalkyl (PFAS) substances, E. Coli, and other physical, chemical, and biological contaminants.

Research proposals must follow RFP guidelines and can be submitted to the Iowa Water Center via email (send to iowawatercenter@iastate.edu). All applicants must provide an intent to submit notice by Sept 20th by 5PM Central Time.

Proposals are due October 4th by 5PM Central Time. Late proposals will not be accepted.

Access the Full RFP here.

The Iowa Water Center: The Iowa Water Center is a federally funded organization, part of the National Institutes for Water Resources. Located on the Iowa State University campus, it is one of 54 institutes located throughout the United States and U.S territories. The purpose of the Iowa Water Center is to identify water-related research needs, provide outreach and education opportunities, and disseminate information about Iowa’s water resources to the public to form better policies and everyday practices.

 Information Contact: Laura Frescoln, Iowa Water Center (iowawatercenter@iastate.edu)

Welcome Laura Frescoln to the Iowa Water Center

Laura Frescoln joined the Iowa Water Center in October as a grant specialist. Laura has 4 years of grant experience in the non-profit sector and is excited to apply her knowledge and skills at the Iowa Water Center.

Laura grew up in Ames and is a Cyclone fan through and through. Her interest in the Iowa Water Center stems from her passion for conservation and agriculture. She spent many weekends on her grandparents’ farm watching the seasons change and developing a deep appreciation for the land, the water and all that rely on their resiliency.

Laura received a Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University in psychology and a Master of Science in mental health counseling and worked in the social services area for several decades. A desire to change course and work for conservation issues brought her back to Iowa State where she completed her Master of Science in sustainable agriculture in 2015. Prior to joining the Iowa Water Center team, Laura worked as associate director for Practical Farmers of Iowa where she worked with farmers and other ag leaders to advance their mission to build resilient farms and communities.

Laura is thankful to be part of the team that is taking on water issues in the Midwest and looks forward to partnering with researchers and other experts to improve water quality around the state and beyond.

Welcome to the new Iowa Water Center Website

We are so excited to welcome you to the new website for the Iowa Water Center. This new home for IWC content was developed around our mission to advance water science to meet Iowa’s water resource needs. We invite you to explore the numerous resources and IWC initiatives that include signature Center programs as well as key partnership-based programs that impact water resource management in the state.

Research guides everything we do at the Iowa Water Center. Our website now features a database of IWC sponsored research that addresses local water resource issues in Iowa and emergent issues of regional importance. We hope this serves as a resource for you to not only be aware of the diverse range of research the Iowa Water Center supports, but also serves as a way for you to get to know the scientists who are exploring these ideas and addressing emergent water issues across the state.

Outreach and education are critical for water resources. We invite you to check out our Water Scholars Directory of scientists and researchers who are affiliated with our programs. This directory is intended as a resource for potential project collaborators among water scientists, interview/subject matter expert requests for media, and connections to researchers for community members and educators.

Partnerships and collaboration are the foundation for capacity building. Our website now enables you to explore our partnership efforts that address science and technology transfer for programs that include the Daily Erosion Project, the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework, Water Scholars, the Iowa Water Conference, and more. We seek to provide accessible venues for stakeholders to connect, communicate their science, and train the next generation of scientists.

It is important to thank those who made the site possible, especially Melissa Miller who led site development over the summer and envisioned a new site for years that captures IWC’s mission and vision for water resources. Thank you to Model Farm for designing the website and providing excellent customer service. Another special thank you to Sarah Feehan who co-led this project over the summer and to our student hourly staff.

Hanna Bates

Acting Assistant Director

Iowa Water Center

 

Rick Cruse

Director

Iowa Water Center

 

Meet Jon Nania, the Iowa Water Center’s Advisory Board Chair

Jon Nania, Deputy Director for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Central Midwest Water Science Center, is the current Chair for the Iowa Water Center (IWC) Advisory Board.

Nania grew up in the Chicago suburbs in an Italian-Polish family. His interest in the environment is rooted from his mother’s passion and care for the environment, as this impacted him greatly growing up. Nania attended the University of Iowa to study geography, with added focuses in environmental studies and water resources. After going through his coursework at the University of Iowa and completing an internship at the USGS, Nania’s attention was drawn to the importance of providing high quality water-related information to Iowans, including water quantity, water quality and groundwater. This newfound understanding inspired him to strive for a career in his field. Nania has been a member of the IWC Advisory Board since 2017 and has served as Chair since 2018.

“What I’ve enjoyed most about being on the IWC’s Advisory Board, besides working with a great group of water resource experts in Iowa, is the process of reviewing the applications for the Competitive Grant competition. It is really exciting to see new and innovative ideas in water resources in Iowa.  Even for the applications that do not get awarded, it feels good to provide constructive advice to the applicants for future grants.”

“I look forward to bringing together water resource experts to share and foster growth in water-resources knowledge across Iowa. There are so many aspects to Iowa’s water-resource community that goes beyond my scientific expertise. The IWC Advisory Board members have a diverse role in the water resources of Iowa, and as a group bring together a wealth of knowledge to help address water resource needs. Accurate, unbiased science is needed to help guide decisions about our state’s water resources.”

A fond farewell to the water community

It was June 25, 2012 – my first day on the job at the Iowa Water Center. Rick was in Canada on a fishing trip, so I went to get lunch on my own. I ran to an old standby, Hy-Vee Chinese, and when I got to the fortune cookie, what did I see?

You will be successful in your work.

I kept that fortune taped to my desk at work from that very first day up until now, my last day at the Iowa Water Center. Looking at the eight years in-between, I think we can safely say that my fortune proved true, thanks to the patience, energy, and collaboration of the hundreds of brilliant colleagues I’ve met since that first day.

On August 10, I will begin a new chapter in my career as the associate director of operations for the National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education(NIAMRRE). Similar to the Iowa Water Center, NIAMRRE is administered by Iowa State University’s Office of the Vice President for Research and seeks to connect researchers, educators, and practitioners to solve one of society’s most pressing issues. Also similar is the systems approach taken by both institutes: One Water, where we recognize that all water is connected and has value, and One Health, where we recognize that human health, animal health, and environmental health are inseparable and sectors must work together to advance science and practice.

Anyone who has met me knows that I’m not a person of few words, but I’ll try to succinctly capture our success together over the last eight years:

  • In 2012, we managed $92,335 in sponsored funds each year; today, we administer over $1.75M in sponsored funds for multi- and interdisciplinary research, outreach, and education projects.
  • We grew our outreach from a static website to a comprehensive multimedia strategy with thousands of engagements each month.
  • We supported nearly 50 faculty and 60 graduate and undergraduate students through our competitive grants program, including directly funding original projects designed by graduate students through the addition of our graduate student supplemental grant program.
  • We grew the Iowa Water Conference in every single metric: attendance, exhibitors, posters, workshops, planning committee members. But more importantly, the conference became the embodiment of the vast amount of hard work and passion the water community expends each year. It is more than a conference. It is a celebration.

What these statistics don’t capture is the breadth of new projects and initiatives to which we’ve led or contributed, and, most importantly, the friends we’ve made along the way. When we launch our new website later this month, I hope you’ll see your role in achieving our vision of a robust and connected water science community.

While leaving my water family is bittersweet, I am absolutely confident that the foundation we’ve laid together will continue to advance water science to meet Iowa’s water resource needs. I won’t be far, and I look forward to watching the Iowa Water Center and the Iowa water community flourish.

Melissa headshot_0

 

Melissa Miller served as the associate director of the Iowa Water Center from 2016-2020 following her tenure as program coordinator from 2012-2016. She holds a BS in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Community and Public Health and MS degree in Community Development with an emphasis in Natural Resource Management, both from Iowa State University.

#IWConf20 Call for Presentation Proposals

Deadline: September 30, 2019 11:59PM

Iowa Water Conference 20/20: Bringing Our Water Vision into Focus

Scheman Building, Ames, Iowa

April 8-9, 2020

What does the path to meaningful change look like across the vast spectrum of water resource issues? Who are the drivers of change and who should be included at the table as critical change agents? The theme of the 2020 Iowa Water Conference is centered on answering these questions. We want to transform water resource work in the year 2020 to be 20/20 as an effort to refocus our vision of the future for how we can promote inclusive, resilient water resource management.

This conference will focus on our evolving relationship with water at a personal and societal scale, as well as what the future may hold if we continue our current trajectory. Through scientific discovery, diverse change agents, and foresight on future challenges, we will move into an equitable and verdurous world of the future.

The committee welcomes proposals on all water-related topics, but especially encourage submissions that address:

  • Equity, inclusion, and environmental justice
  • Innovations in agriculture for future resilience
  • Emerging water resource contaminants
  • Meeting future Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia targets
  • Social impacts on conservation
  • Mitigating climate change impacts on water resources
  • Nontraditional approaches to citizen engagement with water

Read more here.

Albright Selected as a Recipient for the Iowa Water Center’s Institute Research Grant Competition

Written by Sarah Feehan, Communications Specialist, Iowa Water Center

AMES, IOWA – The Iowa Water Center (IWC) annually administers a statewide grant competition known as the IWC Graduate Student Research Competition.

The purpose of this funding is to enable graduate students to complete additional research objectives beyond the scope of their current work, with an emphasis on submitting their research to peer-reviewed publications.

Ellen Albright has been selected among three other graduate students from across Iowa. She and the other recipients will receive funding for a variety of proposed research.

Albright Headshot
Ellen Albright, PhD Student at Iowa State University.

Albright’s proposed research focuses on internal phosphorus loading in shallow lakes, as well as management strategies to prevent and help mitigate harmful algal blooms. It is titled ‘Developing Methods to Measure Internal Phosphorus Loading in Iowa Lakes’.

“I’m interested in internal phosphorus loading, which is the release of phosphorus from lakebed sediments into the overlying water,” Albright says. Phosphorus is a limiting nutrient that can cause harmful algal blooms in lakes. Phosphorus stored at the bottom of lakes in sediment can be re-released into the water due to wind disturbance or fish stirring up the sediment.

Associate Director of the IWC Melissa Miller says, “Water Resources Research Institutes like the Iowa Water Center were authorized by Congress in part to address emerging water resources concerns through research. Harmful algal blooms are a high-priority topic in the nation. Ms. Albright’s work will not only contribute to the body of knowledge on internal phosphorus loading, but will also contribute a new, scalable sampling method,” Miller says.

Albright says, “Internal phosphorus loading can maintain high nutrient levels in our lakes. And it’s not very well understood in the shallow lakes we have here in Iowa. It can also impact how effective watershed nutrient reduction strategies are at achieving water quality goals.”

Get to know Ellen Albright, PhD Student at Iowa State University

Albright grew up in a small town just outside of Madison, Wisconsin, called Cottage Grove. Her main area of research is limnology, or the study of inland waters such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

“My interest in limnology started during a summer undergrad position that I had with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I worked at a field station they run in northern Wisconsin called Trout Lake Station,” Albright says.

Albright and Field Work
Albright conducting field research.

She had a variety of positions there every summer of her undergraduate career. And while she was working there, she learned that she really enjoys research time and enjoys studying lakes.

“While I was there, I got excited about the process of collecting ecological data and knowing that data can help us make decisions and better manage freshwater resources. I think those are the experiences that really sparked the interests I have now,” Albright says.

Throughout and in between the field work days and lab work days, Albright is constantly working with other students, especially in the summertime.

Albright says, “I enjoy training our undergrad researchers for the different roles we have in our lab and encouraging them to pursue independent research projects. I find that mentoring is a really rewarding part of my job.”

In her free time, Albright enjoys getting outdoors. “It’s very relaxing for me. I like to go for walks, go birding, fishing, and get out on the water,” Albright says.

 For more information about this year’s recipients, please visit https://iawatercenter.wordpress.com/. To reference the general press release for all four recipients, please visit: http://www.water.iastate.edu/news/iowa-water-center-announces-2019-grant-recipients.

The Iowa Water Center is a federally funded organization, part of the National Institutes for Water Resources. Located on the Iowa State University campus, it is one of 54 institutes located throughout the United States and U.S territories. The purpose of the Iowa Water Center is to identify water-related research needs, provide outreach and education opportunities, and disseminate information about Iowa’s water resources to the public to form better policies and everyday practices. Learn more at https://www.water.iastate.edu/.

0Sarah Feehan is the communications specialist for the Iowa Water Center. She holds a BS in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Political Science from Iowa State University. In fall of 2019, Feehan will begin acquiring her JD from Drake Law School.

Zhi Selected as a Recipient for the Iowa Water Center’s Institute Research Grant Competition

Written by Sarah Feehan, Communications Specialist

AMES, IOWA – The Iowa Water Center (IWC) annually administers a statewide grant competition known as the IWC Graduate Student Research Competition.

The purpose of this funding is to enable graduate students to complete additional research objectives beyond the scope of their current work, with an emphasis on submitting their research to peer-reviewed publications.

Hui Zhi has been selected among three other graduate students from across Iowa. She and the other recipients will receive funding for a variety of proposed research.

Hu Zhi Headshot
Hui Zhi, PhD candidate at the University of Iowa.

Zhi’s proposed research encompasses sorption and biodegradation of pharmaceuticals in Iowa’s water. It is titled ‘Quantifying Differential Sorption and Biodegradation of Pharmaceuticals in a Wastewater Effluent-dominated Stream in Iowa’.

Associate Director of the IWC Melissa Miller says, “Water Resources Research Institutes like the Iowa Water Center were authorized by Congress in part to address emerging water resources concerns through research. The fate and transport of pharmaceuticals in our water is of critical interest to both the state and region, and we look forward to sharing the results of Ms. Zhi’s work.”

“From this research, we’ll better understand the fate and transformation of pharmaceuticals in the surface water. It’s important we understand what’s in our drinking water, what’s in the treated wastewater, and what’s in the streams and rivers. And, how they change spatially and temporally,” Zhi says.

Get to Know Hui Zhi, PhD Candidate at the University of Iowa

Typically, Zhi wakes up around 6:30 A.M. and makes herself breakfast and a cup of black coffee. Once at her office, she checks emails and reads journal article updates.

One early morning in her office, Zhi received an email about the IWC’s grant competition and thought, “it would be a really great opportunity to apply for.” She spoke to her adviser about the competition and he encouraged her to write and submit a proposal.

“It caught my eye,” Zhi says of the grant competition email. Zhi’s research from this grant work will be a one-year study that employs both field and laboratory research approaches.

Zhi says, “I really enjoy working in the lab and look forward to getting the results.”

Hui Zhi Lab Work
Zhi conducting lab work at the University of Iowa.

Zhi grew up in China, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in an environmental science program at China Pharmaceutical University.

The environmental crisis in China influenced Zhi to continue school and to focus on environmental engineering. She decided to continue her studies here in the United States, where Zhi believes, “the best programs in the world for environmental engineering are at.”

She received her master’s degree at Cornell University and is now a PhD candidate at the University of Iowa. Her anticipated completion year is 2020.

With her research, Zhi hopes people will better understand the behaviors of pharmaceutical mixtures in the water and their associated ecological impacts.

She explains, “The results will be able to help the right people, whoever is responsible for our water policy regulations, set in place science-based water quality regulations for pharmaceuticals. Regulations not just for our drinking water, but also in the treated wastewater that is discharged into our environment. Hopefully then, we will have a cleaner water environment.”

Instead of just focusing solely on the quality of our drinking water, Zhi thinks knowing what’s going on in all our water systems, for example streams and rivers, is vital to a healthy environment.

Pharmaceuticals can have impacts on aquatic species, such as fish, living in the water. If pharmaceuticals are accumulating in fish and people are eating these fish, the accumulation of pharmaceuticals ends up in human bodies.

Therefore, not only are we drinking pharmaceuticals, but we are also eating fish that have been accumulating pharmaceuticals over time. “People need to know what’s happening in the streams nearby that they’re swimming in and also in the waters their fish are found because there are potential impacts on the human body that we don’t clearly know yet,” Zhi says.

To help prevent research burnout, Zhi enjoys exercising. “Whether it’s cardio, yoga, boxing, rock climbing, or swimming, I love it. All these different sports help relieve any pressure from research, and I have a lot of fun doing them,” Zhi says.

 For more information about this year’s recipients, please visit https://iawatercenter.wordpress.com/. To reference the general press release for all four recipients, please visit: http://www.water.iastate.edu/news/iowa-water-center-announces-2019-grant-recipients.

The Iowa Water Center is a federally funded organization, part of the National Institutes for Water Resources. Located on the Iowa State University campus, it is one of 54 institutes located throughout the United States and U.S territories. The purpose of the Iowa Water Center is to identify water-related research needs, provide outreach and education opportunities, and disseminate information about Iowa’s water resources to the public to form better policies and everyday practices. Learn more at https://www.water.iastate.edu/.

0Sarah Feehan is the communications specialist for the Iowa Water Center. She holds a BS in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Political Science from Iowa State University. In fall of 2019, Feehan will begin acquiring her JD from Drake Law School.