Water Quality Collaborative Conference for 1862, 1890 and 1994 Land-grant Institutions
The 1890-1862-1994 Water Quality Collaborative Conference met in July, 2004 in Atlanta, GA. The purpose of the Conference was to:
- Facilitate sharing of water quality resources and expertise.
- Establish multi-institutional water quality work teams.
- Improve collaboration and linkages among the 1890, 1994 and 1862 institutions.
- Increase awareness of water quality work at 1890 and 1994 institutions.
- Strengthen linkages between USDA-CSREES, minority institutions and other agencies.
The Conference was very successful (evaluation) and planning for a 2nd Collaborative Conference is underway. Work groups have begun implementing action plans developed at the Conference (Proceedings). Following the Collaborative Conference, attendance and participation at the USDA-CSREES National Water Conference and regional meetings by water quality coordinators from 1890 institutions sharply increased. Several 1862 and 1890 collaborative projects implemented through regional coordination projects are underway. Using networks developed at the Collaborative Conference, 1890 institutions wrote a National Facilitation Project proposal to further support their efforts to bring educational water programming to their clients. This proposal has been funded by CSREES. In addition, with assistance from CSREES, 1890 institutions are developing an on-line database of water resource expertise at the 1890s.
For more information about the Collaborative Conference, contact the conference chairs, Mike Smolen or Cass Gardner. For information regarding the National Facilitation Project entitled, “Facilitation of 1890 Institutions' Water Resource Education, Extension and Research Efforts,” contact Sam Dennis.