By Cole Hatcher
Ohio Wesleyan University will host a free panel discussion at 9 a.m. Feb. 29 to explore “Improving Water Quality in Ohio: Efficient Policies and Local Programs.” The event will include a moderated discussion between the panelists and questions from the audience.
The Environmental and Natural Resource Symposium will be held in Room 301 of Merrick Hall, 65 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. The event is sponsored by The Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship.
Ohio Wesleyan faculty member Will Georgic, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics, will moderate the discussion. Georgic’s research focuses on studying environmental problems likely to worsen with climate change (including flooding and harmful algal blooms) and informing more efficient policy decisions.
Panelists for the “Improving Water Quality” symposium will include:
Brent Sohngen, a professor of environmental and resource economics in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics at The Ohio State University. In addition to co-authoring sections of the 2001 and 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, Sohngen has written more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters with numerous policy briefs, memos, and papers concerning the control of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.
Lisa Roberts, the City of Delaware’s Watershed and Sustainability Coordinator. Roberts implements the Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program including the city’s Stormwater Management Plan. She also supports the City’s Sustainability Plan with the programs and policies that foster the environmental well-being of the community.
The symposium will be followed at 10 a.m. by The Woltemade Center’s “Big Problem Challenge.” For the competition, OWU students will present plans that could improve water quality in the Ohio River and/or Lake Erie. The individuals or teams that provide the all-around best solutions will earn $3,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place.
The Woltemade Center at Ohio Wesleyan works to enhance academic programs and provide real-world opportunities to create future generations of business and world leaders. Learn more about the center at owu.edu/woltemade.
