CONNECT 2021

“NGWA has an excellent vision for addressing a serious problem, and we are proud to be part of it,” Barnes said. “They already have training materials and industry experts, so through OSU’s existing infrastructure in outreach and innovation in online education, we can help reach new audiences and make this training accessible in a way that it hasn’t been before. Enrollees can participate anywhere and anytime.” The initial funding for the program is in place, thanks to the generosity of Robert C. Keyes & Associated Environmental Industries Corp., Franklin Electric, PumpsOK, and David Traut & Traut Cos. Because groundwater issues are global, NGWA University Powered by OSU is designed to allow international participation. For example, some funding has already been secured to offer the curriculum in Spanish. Other languages will be added. The program is also in the process of making all content keyboard- accessible to meet the needs of a diverse audience. While Drilling Basics is entirely online, more courses are being created to prepare participants for other certification exams. In fact, NGWA University Powered by OSU plans to unveil a total of five before the annual NGWA Groundwater Week in December. Unlike Drilling Basics, some of the courses will require hands-on experience. To address that need, OSUwill be hosting workshops locally and is pursuing partnerships with universities across the country to host more. Another way OSU is addressing groundwater issues is to increase interest in and awareness of geoscience for students before they even reach college. The new digitized Awesome Aquifer kit includes online components that allows K-12 students to participate in virtual exercises such as manipulating the water table and visualizing aquifer recharge. Teachers receive physical kits that allow students to take turns with other exercises such as pouring water on rocks and noting the reactions. “The digital version of the kit alongside the physical version allows us to reach more students than ever,” Barnes said. “It reduces certain barriers, like access to supplies, and creates a game-like educational experience. We want it to be easy, fun and entertaining while teaching about groundwater concepts. We want students to understand these concepts before they get to college. We want them to understand that access to groundwater is a long-term solution to fresh water access, and that pursuing a career in this field is as fun and interesting as it is crucial to our society.” Donors can help fund the development of NGWA University Powered by OSU courses, or purchase Awesome Aquifer kits for schools. For more information, visit cas.okstate.edu/ngwa. For questions, contact Caitlin Barnes at caitlin. barnes@okstate.edu . “It just makes sense to establish this collaboration between OSU and NGWA, a win-win for both their association and our university, and it will benefit countless individuals who rely on groundwater.” DR. TODD HALIHAN 12 CONNECT 202 1