8 NGWA University NGWA University (NGWAU) Powered by OSU is dedicated to training future groundwater professionals and upskilling the workforce. Industry support has helped NGWAU build a strong foundation in education and professional training. Expanding Groundwater Education NGWAU’s programs have reached 318 schools in 42 states, supporting 411 teachers and educating approximately 61,650 students. Sponsored classrooms receive kits, posters, and a year of free digital access to AA360. Professional Development NGWAU offers 18 non-credit courses, 13 of which are open for enrollment, with nine available in Spanish. With 798 enrollments and 374 completed courses, NGWAU has issued 414 micro-credentials to professionals across 31 states and six countries. Raising Awareness To address workforce shortages, NGWAU launched the national PSA “Don’t Take Clean Water for Granted” in Geochem Boat Supported by Battelle, we carried out a three-day Lake Research and Science (LakeRS) education camp in JulyAugust 2024. The main objective was to provide aquatic research and science opportunities for high school students to collect and analyze samples from a nearby lake. The overall goal was to expose high school students to the fields of geosciences and environmental sciences and the applied technologies and instruments involved, and to increase awareness of students of the importance of these science areas to the Oklahoman public. The camp was successfully conducted as planned by the BPSoG faculty and with assistance from BPSoG students and staff. Over two days at Lake Carl Blackwell, high school students collected lake samples, alternating between sampling from a boat and along the shoreline. On the boat, they gathered water column, plankton, and sediment samples, while shoreline sampling involved water and sediment core collection. Students analyzed samples onsite, learning about sample preparation and preservation. On the third day, students conducted further analysis at OSU laboratories, using geochemical instruments and microscopes to study their samples. They tested geochemical composition, such as pH and total dissolved solids, and examined macro-organisms. Their hands-on involvement fostered curiosity and motivation. Additionally, students visited the OSU’s Microscope facility to explore high-tech microscopy, including Scanning Electron Microscopy, and they toured the Gary Stewart core research facilities to study deep subsurface sediment cores with Prof. Jim Puckette. February 2024. Airing on CNN, HGTV, TNT, and more, it has reached nearly 57 million viewers, with an advertising value of $1.75 million. The campaign’s website has been visited by audiences from 46 states and 26 countries, with the careers page as the top destination. Learn more and watch the PSA at groundwater.okstate.edu. spring.2025
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