Jan
9
Challenges and Opportunities
January 9, 2009 | Posted by admin
Jerry Sehlke, President AWRA
It seems that with every presidential election and inauguration we hear about how important this election is and how critical the issues are facing us this election cycle. And each time it is probably true. However, it is undeniable that we are presently facing many monumental challenges. These include a world-wide economic crisis, energy challenges, climate change, a major reduction in the scientific workforce due to the retirement of the baby boomers, and an apparently growing lack of faith in traditional institutions, including scientific institutions, to name a few. To many it seems that the world is in chaos. However, according to the old Chinese proverb, “out of chaos comes opportunity.” I believe that this is true, at least to those who are prepared to take advantage of those potential opportunities.
As we start this New Year I believe we should survey the challenges and the opportunities that are before us and we as AWRA members, staff and board should ask ourselves; do we understand the critical issues that are facing us and are we prepared to help prioritize and solve them? I don’t expect that we as a water-resources community hold the key to solving the world-wide economic meltdown or our seemingly insatiable appetite for energy, but do we understand the potential impacts of them on the water resources field? Do we know the depth and the potential impacts of the impending baby boomer retirement on the water resources field and what we need to do to train up a new generation of scientists? Are we developing a plan and a mechanism to transfer our historical knowledge and experience to the next generation such that our field will not only be able to carry on, but it will be able to continue building on that historical knowledge and experience?
More so than just developing an understanding, are we actively working together as an association and with other water resources associations to address the critical challenges within our field? Are we helping inform the appropriate decision makers and institutions about the challenges we are or will soon be facing in our field and are we helping them develop sensible, long-term, holistic solutions to those challenges? And are we conducting and presenting our research to the highest degree of quality and transparency possible, such that those who read and utilize our research will have faith in that we as a scientific institution/profession can be and should be trusted?
I feel very blessed by the opportunity to help lead the AWRA that you have bestowed upon me. I am somewhat daunted by the challenges that we face both as an organization and as a society, but I am enthralled with the potential opportunities that present themselves. I am thankful for the great membership, staff and board-leadership that we have within the AWRA. I am especially thankful for the great tutelage I have received thus far from Ken and the staff, and great leaders like our past presidents Jane Rowan and Gerry Galloway. I hope that all that you and they have taught and otherwise imparted to me over the years has prepared me for the wonderful opportunity and the great responsibility that you have given me. And I look forward to working with each of you to maintain and to expand AWRA’s leadership role in understanding and solving the critical challenges that face the water resources field in the future.
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