Business Plan | Water Sustainability Program

As a result of restructuring the UA TRIF initiative, the Water Sustainability Plan (WSP) business plan has been folded into a combined plan for WSP and the Translational Environmental Research (TER) initiative under the Water and Environmental Sustainability Program (WESP) more info

The following is an excerpt/overview of the WESP business plan:

Arizona’s natural resources, most critically its water supplies, are crucial to the state’s economy and to the health and well-being of its residents. The most pressing environmental issues of our time are especially apparent in arid and semi-arid regions of the globe where population growth is most rapid and life-supporting resources are most limited. As the leading university in the world with expertise in water, as well as being in the forefront with regard to interdisciplinary work in the environmental and earth sciences The University of Arizona is uniquely positioned to use its strengths to support university, industry, and government collaborations in research, technology, education, and outreach to resolve water and environmental resource challenges. The mission of the WESP is to provide science-based technical, economic, legal, and policy expertise necessary for water and environmental sustainability in Arizona and other semi-arid regions facing increasing demands on natural resources and the uncertainties of environmental change. It is anticipated that the knowledge and techniques generated will have state, national, and world-wide applications that will stimulate the economy and produce far-reaching societal benefits. This business plan for WESP is aligned with the intent of the Proposition 301 Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) which is to enhance educational opportunities for students in areas critical to local economic development through new education and research programs and new university-industry partnerships. Two programs, the WSP and the TER initiative under the banner of WESP, from FY08 forward will integrate their strengths in academia, research, and water and environmental technology to create several outcomes. These include:

internationally recognized research and technology transfer initiatives
a thriving industry cluster, which includes both private sector and public sector entities, supported by a skilled workforce that is educated at The University of Arizona
practical education for grades K-12 to create general awareness of issues, problems, and career-related training
stronger relationships across disciplines within The University of Arizona which will result in research innovations to create new public and private sector initiatives

These efforts build on the extensive expertise among over 300 UA faculty and staff in 10 colleges and 60 departments and support UA efforts to be a national and global leader in research and technology development. WESP will build on the success and the accomplishments of the first six years of the WSP and expand its efforts. The new Translational Environmental Research (TER) initiative established in 2007 as an extension to the Institute for the Study of Planet Earth (ISPE) combines with WSP to form WESP thereby expanding the environmental and earth science focus. The base components of the two programs, WSP and TER, encompass:

a broad, internally competitive research grants program
strategic faculty recruitment and research initiatives
student fellowships and internships
education and outreach programs
center-directed initiatives and center activities support

WSP and TER together plan to attract 12 new, world class faculty over the next four year period. This recruitment effort is viewed as a primary factor in providing quality education, attracting top students and securing new research grant funding in the areas of water science, water management and water policy and in environmental and earth sciences more broadly. The WESP and the individual programs of WSP and TER at The University of Arizona will assist in making Arizona’s water and environmental resources sustainable into the future, a key underpinning of Arizona’s economic development and critical components to enhancing our quality of life. Click here to download the entire business plan (the document can be viewed in Adobe Acrobat Reader)