⏲️ This month’s edition contains approximately 850 words (just over a two minute read).

CONSERVE Research Group is developing digital twin ecosystems as part of an emerging portfolio for watershed conservation and management. It is a new way of thinking about how conservation and restoration decisions are made. For instance, a digital twin model could simulate where rivercane restoration will have the greatest impact on soil health, water quality and erosion control over the next 20 years. 

What if you could test a watershed before you change it?

Penny Beames and Dr. Kate Brauman of the Global Water Security Center have authored a chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Human Security, publishing this September from Oxford University Press. The volume reframes security around the individual rather than the state, and their contribution brings GWSC's water expertise to the conversation.

What role does water play in safeguarding human dignity? 

CIROH partnered with NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System, or NIDIS, through hydrologic scientist Dr. Elliot Wickham to connect drought research to drought preparation in the Southeast. By making critical information available to community decision-makers as droughts develop, this partnership supports drought resilience throughout the region.

The right information at the right time can change how a community weathers a drought. What does that take?

Dr. Kate Brauman, deputy director of the Global Water Security Center, and Dr. Glenn Tootle, professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering and an AWI affiliated faculty member, have been selected to receive the 2026-2027 Fulbright Research Scholar Award to contribute to global water sustainability efforts through research and teaching. 

How will their work in Canada and Slovakia shape a more water-secure future?

Flash floods can develop in minutes, leaving communities with little time to respond. Improving those forecasts and getting critical information to the people who need it most is one of the biggest challenges in operational hydrology.

Dr. Katie van Werkhoven of RTI International discusses her work advancing flash flood forecasting through CIROH and her career bridging research and operations. She shares how new technologies, including artificial intelligence, improved forecasting tools and stronger partnerships with local stakeholders, are helping create faster, more actionable flood forecasts that can better protect lives and communities.

The Assistant Director of Global Water Security Center Technology serves as the technical lead for software, computing, networking, web and cybersecurity technologies, integrating them into GWSC's water and environmental security programs. The role supervises research software engineers, programmers and web developers, manages cloud services and ensures continuity of operations for a center that informs national security partners with global interests in water.

The Alabama Water Institute seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow to support collaborative research between the U.S. Geological Survey and The University of Alabama, advancing new water observing technologies and adapting off-the-shelf tools to improve monitoring of water, soil and sediment dynamics. The fellow works alongside USGS scientists, University faculty and researchers in CIROH, contributing to applied research and technology advancement that supports nationwide water monitoring and modeling. The role includes access to the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility, a national hub for hydrologic instrumentation development, testing and training.

The University of Alabama is seeking its next Executive Director of the Alabama Water Institute.

This role will lead a nationally recognized water research enterprise, where interdisciplinary science, academic programs, federal and industry collaborations, and translational impact come together to advance water-related opportunities at the local, national, and global levels.

The Executive Director will provide vision and leadership for AWI and its research entities, while strengthening collaboration across UA and its partners.

Located alongside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Water Center and the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility, AWI has a central role in advancing research, technology, and workforce development in water.

We are looking for a leader who can build on this momentum, expand collaborations, and continue positioning AWI as a national hub for water solutions.

Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply through the appropriate track. Candidates seeking a faculty appointment as a professor of practice, please use the faculty link. Candidates seeking a professional staff appointment may apply using the professional staff link.