The Water in a Changing World conducts applied research to address real-world problems while promoting sustainable management of water systems and seeks to increase the understanding of complex water issues. Our interdisciplinary scientific teams of NIU faculty and students investigate and provide solutions to current, emerging, and future environmental problems that face our local, national, and global water systems.
Stewardship and development of water resources are essential for ensuring our future. Whether for agriculture, industry, or personal consumption, current use of freshwater is unsustainable. In many parts of the world, access to clean, safe drinking water is unavailable. With the worldwide human population predicted to grow by more than two billion to nearly ten billion by 2050, demand for water will increase dramatically in the coming decades. Climate change, transboundary issues, and increasing populations will have significant impacts on water quality and availability.
To study and develop water resources, research and development must address the multi-faceted water problems facing society. Our faculty and students conduct applied research to address real-world problems while promoting sustainable management of water systems. Our faculty have expertise in the development of water resources in northern Illinois and around the world.
NIU research on water quality and water resources for local communities extends beyond northern Illinois to low-income countries such as Indonesia, Cambodia, Mexico, and Myanmar where NIU faculty and staff also train local community and university staff to use tools developed in Northern Illinois for water quality issues.