March 18, 2021
UArizona Experts Available for World Water Day
TUCSON, Ariz. — University of Arizona water experts are available to speak in advance of World Water Day on March 22.
The theme of this year's World Water Day is the value of water. Beyond its price, water is important for everyday living. When humanity overlooks its value, we risk mismanaging this finite resource, according to the United Nations, which established World Water Day. Each year, the UN selects a theme to focus attention on the organization's sustainable development goal of clean water and sanitation for all by 2030.
In 2020, UArizona was ranked No. 1 in the nation and No. 2 in the world for its water resources research program in the Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities. The following experts are available to speak about the value of water.
- Regents Professor of Law Robert Glennon is best known for his work in water law and policy. He advocates for a variety of reforms, including using price signals to stimulate water conservation and market forces to bring about a reallocation of water.
520-621-1614
glennon@law.arizona.edu - Thomas Meixner, professor and head of the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, studies water in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly the American Southwest. His research interests include understanding where arid and semi-arid rivers get their water, urban hydrology in desert cities and the effect of climate change on groundwater recharge – the key process sustaining desert rivers.
520-331-6730
tmeixner@email.arizona.edu - Soumaya Belmecheri, assistant research scientist in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, studies interactions between the atmosphere and forests, which are recorded in trees. She focuses on the tradeoff between carbon gain and water loss of trees as an indicator of forest health. Her research can help policymakers understand the role of water as it relates to the capacity of forests to act as carbon sinks amid current and future climate change.
814-769-0675
sbelmecheri@email.arizona.edu - Gregg Garfin, associate professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment and director of the university's Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, does research and extension activities focused on the impacts of climate variations and changes on water, and preparedness measures to reduce possible impacts. These measures often include plans for drought and heat waves or plans to adapt to changing climate or environmental conditions. He is co-investigator on a project to establish a unified North American methodology for estimating the costs of severe floods.
520-626-4372
gmgarfin@arizona.edu - Antonio A. Meira Neto, an associate research scientist in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, studies how landscape and climate interact to shape how much water will be available in rivers.
aamneto@email.arizona.edu