CUAHSI is now accepting applications from current graduate students who wish to travel to other field sites or work with other research groups as part of their graduate research program. Up to five travel grants, each with a maximum amount of $5000.00, will be awarded. The deadline for receipt of applications is December 31, 2009.

In announcing these fellowships, CUAHSI Executive Director Rick Hooper noted that graduate training in hydrologic science typically focuses on a single field site or signle modeling approach. To assist graduate students in enriching their research program by moving beyond a "one site, one view" approach to research, CUAHSI is providing travel support for graduate students to make an extended visit (approximately 1-3 months) to conduct field research at an additional site or to collaborate with a research group using alternate modeling methods of those in a graduate student's current research program.

CUAHSI Pathfinder Fellowships, as these awards are called, will be awarded each year for the next 5 years. For additional information, visit www.cuahsi.org/pathfinder/.

The power of documentary films to motivate and to inspire is unquestioned and recently demonstrated by Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. The Earth Systems Science Department at UC Irvine recently sponsored a two-day event called "Let's Talk about Water in California" to inform undergraduates about water issues in their state and to highlight career options for students in the field of hydrology and water resources. Chinatown, a dramatic fictionalized account of water development in Los Angeles, was shown outside on campus on Friday night, and Flow: The Film, a recent documentary covering many topics in water policy, was shown on Saturday followed by a panel discussion featuring both local and national experts on water science and policy.

Over 200 students, including both undergraduate and high school students from an AP Environmental Science class, attended. Extra credit was offered to students in 5 different undergraduate courses in Earth System Science and Public Health.

The event was successful in informing students about a large array of water issues and in helping focus on which of these issues were important in California. The panel discussion remained lively for over 2 hours, indicating a high degree of engagement.

CUAHSI is interested in helping other campuses replicate this event. For more information, contact Rick Hooper (rhooper@cuahsi.org).

The MOCHA project (MOdular Curriculum for Hydrologic Advancement) is creating an evolving core curriculum for hydrology education freely available to, developed and reviewed by the worldwide hydrologic community. We seek to establish an online faculty learning community for hydrology education and a modular core curriculum based on modern pedagogical standards.

Become part of this community of hydrology educators by Registering on the MOCHA website. Use the material others have produced by freely Downloading available modules. Share your educational material and your teaching experience in your main area of expertise by Adding a new MOCHA module. And, interact with colleagues by IMPROVING an existing module. more information

The American Society of Civil Engineers' Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI), has announced the 2010 Watershed Management Conference: "Innovations in Watershed Management Under Land Use and Climate Change", scheduled for August 23-27, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin. Themed "Innovations in Watershed Management Under Land Use and Climate Change," this conference will highlight innovative approaches for managing water resources under climate and land use change. Relevant topics include hydrologic measurement and modeling, integrated and/or adaptive water management, aquatic ecosystem restoration, risk-based design, and the use of regional predictions of climate change. We expect to attract a diverse group of researchers, practitioners, managers, and regulators, and will engage them in one or more activities focused on bridging the gap between research and practice.

CUAHSI is a sponsor of the conference. For additional information, visit the conference website or download the flyer.

WANTED: INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO WORLD'S WATER CRISIS — Business plan challenge recently opened.

The inaugural Imagine H₂O Prize competition is now open for submissions. The competition offers prizes of $70,000 in cash and in-kind services, which will be awarded to the business plans which promise the greatest breakthroughs in the efficient use and supply of water.

The Imagine H₂O Prize is designed to encourage the competitive and ambitious spirits of entrepreneurs, investors, experts, inventors and academics around the world to focus on water issues. This inaugural business plan challenge focuses on solutions to improve water efficiency in agriculture, commercial, industrial or residential applications, such as water demand reduction, improved water use, water recycling and/or reuse.

Entries will be accepted from around the world beginning September 1 through November 16, 2009. Winners will be announced at a showcase event in early 2010. Future competitions will have different prize topics addressing other critical water challenges.

Visit the Imagine H₂O website at www.imagineh2o.org for more information.

"This is by far the most significant development in groundwater research in Australia's history. We are looking at massive capacity building, training and upskilling on an unprecedented scale. The NCGRT is a huge opportunity for researchers in many disciplines, not just those already involved in groundwater." — Professor Craig Simmons, Director National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training, introducing the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training — a collaboration between twelve universities and eight industry and government organizations; thirty four of the top groundwater researchers in the nation collaborating on its research programs; research programs in South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory; distinguished national and international scientists and research leaders providing guidance to the Centre through its advisory committees.

Visit the Centre's home page for additional information on Groundwater short courses and other opportunities.