Civil engineer presents findings on work in Middle East
A civil engineering faculty candidate will speak at a research forum from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, in EHS 102. All are welcome to attend.
Patrick Ray will present “Between Iraq and a Hard Place – Climate Change and Water Politics in Jordan.” Here is a short synopsis of his presentation:
In terms of per-capita availability of renewable water resources, Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world. Amman, the capital of Jordan, has grown rapidly in the past 50 years, and its internal water resources can no longer meet the needs of its burgeoning population. Major water works have come online in the past decade, and with rapid population growth and economic development, other, larger-still water works are under way.
Ray began studying and modeling the water resources system in Amman three years ago while on Fulbright Fellowship in Jordan. He will present his model’s results on the best courses of action for water system development in Amman in terms of the system’s cost, and its reliability, vulnerability and sustainability. He will encourage discussion of his findings about the essential and complex role of water in Middle Eastern society and politics.