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SOUTH DAKOTA WEATHER

SDSU Hosts National Student Water Research Event

SDSU Hosts National Student Water Research Event


By Scout Nelson

Students, researchers, and industry professionals from across the United States gathered at South Dakota State University on October 14 for the 2025 South Dakota Student Water Conference. This daylong event aimed to inspire and equip the next generation of water research professionals.

The conference was hosted by the South Dakota Water Resources Institute in collaboration with the SDSU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Held in the University Student Union, it brought together participants from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds.

Attendees had the opportunity to present research projects, enhance science communication skills, network with experts in water-related fields, explore career and graduate study opportunities, and participate in research contests to receive professional feedback.

Among the presenters was Priyamvada Thorakkattu, a Ph.D. student in the SDSU Department of Dairy and Food Science, who showcased her poster titled “Unlocking the Sustainability Potential of Cow Water in Dairy Processing.”

Thorakkattu highlighted the networking opportunities, saying the conference was “very fruitful” after meeting new Water Resources Institute Director Ryan Lefers, who suggested potential future collaborations.

Erica Shrestha, a first-year master’s student in the SDSU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, presented her poster, “Evaluating Empirical and Machine Learning Approaches for Simulating Endorphins of Rapid Transpiration Using Limited Climatic Variables,” based on her undergraduate research.

Shrestha emphasized the professional benefits, stating, “This was my first time doing the poster presentation, and I had a really good experience. I got to connect with other people during the conference, talk to them, get to know them. We (student attendees) also got some tips on how to find a job and how to proceed in our professional lives after we complete our degrees.”

The conference featured a full agenda from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., including the Alan R. Bender Memorial Lecture in Water and Climate Resilience. Margaret W. Gitau, a Purdue University professor of agricultural and biological engineering, delivered the keynote, “The Future of Our Freshwater: Tackling Water-Quality Impairments at the Root,” addressing water-quality modeling, data-driven management, and global water resilience strategies.

The South Dakota Student Water Conference continues to promote research, collaboration, and student development in water science and engineering, with organizers aiming to expand its reach in future years. More details are available on the South Dakota Water Resources Institute website.

Photo Credit: south-dakota-state-university

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