Iowa Nutrient Research Center water quality research seminar series highlights decade of work and impacts

The Iowa Nutrient Research Center will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a new seminar series highlighting outcomes and impacts from a decade of research. The series starts this fall and continues through spring 2023.

Two presenters each month will discuss INRC-supported projects. The presentations will take place the second Wednesday of each month, from 3:10-4 p.m. The fall seminars begin Sept. 14. The hybrid seminar series will be presented online and in-person at 1306 Elings Hall, 605 Bissell Road, on the Iowa State University campus.

“The INRC began its work in 2013, and since that time, we’ve supported more than 115 research projects,” said INRC Director Matt Helmers. “This seminar series aims to provide a sense of the breadth and depth of this work. Although the focus is on the past, the value of these efforts is to help Iowa and the water quality research community prepare for the important work ahead.”

Fall 2022 sessions
Sept. 14 – Soil health

Presenters: Marshall McDaniel, associate professor of agronomy at Iowa State University; and Alejandro Plastina, associate professor of economics at Iowa State University
Oct. 12 – Water monitoring and remote sensing
Presenters: Chris Jones, research engineer at the University of Iowa IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering and the Iowa Flood Center; and Brian Gelder, research manager of agricultural and biosystems engineering, Iowa State University
Nov. 9 – Hot Spots, prairie potholes and prairie implementation
Presenters: Steven Hall, associate professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology at Iowa State University; and Justin Meissen, research and restoration program manager for the Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center, University of Northern Iowa
Dec. 14 – Modeling
Presenters: Sotirios Archontoulis, associate professor of agronomy, Iowa State University; and Crystal Lu, associate professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology, Iowa State University

Spring 2023 sessions
Feb. 8 – Saturated buffers

Presenters: Chris Rehmann, associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, Iowa State University; and Tom Isenhart, professor of natural resource ecology and management, Iowa State University
March 8 – Bioreactors, ditches and oxbows
Presenters: Michelle Soupir, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and Interim Associate Dean of the Graduate College, Iowa State University; and Keith Schilling, state geologist and director of the Iowa Geological Survey, University of Iowa
April 12 – Social science and communications
Presenters: J. Arbuckle, professor of sociology and criminal justice, Iowa State University; and Laura Witzling, policy analyst, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, formerly assistant professor of journalism and communication, Iowa State University
May 10 – Cover crops and grazing.
Presenters: Alison Robertson, professor of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, Iowa State University; and Erika Lundy-Woolfolk, beef specialist with the Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

A field tour at the end of the series is being planned, with details to be announced later.

Sessions are free and open to the public. Participants are asked to register in advance at: https://go.iastate.edu/GBIZX7.

Download the seminar series flyer to post or share. More information on each session with any updates are available at: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/inrc/events/.

Each session will be recorded, with speakers’ permission, and posted on the INRC’s website.

For questions, contact Malcolm Robertson, INRC Program Specialist, malcolmr@iastate.edu.

The Iowa Nutrient Research Center was established by the Iowa Board of Regents in response to legislation passed by the Iowa Legislature in 2013. The center pursues science-based approaches to areas that include evaluating the performance of current and emerging nutrient management practices and providing recommendations on implementing the practices and developing new practices. Iowa State leads the partnership that includes the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.