North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute

The 2025 NDWRRI Fellowship Program is now open and all North Dakota State University and University of North Dakota graduate students conducting thesis/dissertation research in water resources areas are eligible to apply. Criteria for evaluation includes scientific merit, originality of research, research related to the state water resources issues, and extent of state or local collaboration and/or co-funding. All proposals will be evaluated by an external review panel of water resources professionals. Applications are due on April 7, 2025 (by 5pm CT). Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/gjqvjAGW Dane Mataic

Dane Mataic, North Dakota State University assistant professor of sociology and community development, has been named director of the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute. Mataic has served as an NDWRRI faculty fellow since 2024. NDSU Vice President for Research and Creative Activity Colleen Fitzgerald, Ph.D. welcomed Mataic and noted how important the director position is in driving water research and building collaborations with various stakeholders across the state of North Dakota. “The director will continue to further water research and outreach in North Dakota and will work to strengthen collaborative efforts between NDSU and UND and other stakeholders across the state in doing so,” she said. “Dane’s experience as a NDWRRI fellow provides a perfect backdrop for him stepping into this role.” Congratulations Dane! https://lnkd.in/gK_Cdpjz NDSU Office of Research and Creative Activity

Mossammat Mustari Khanaum, 2022 NDWRRI Fellow, will give his environmental and conversation dissertation defense on Hydrologic and Water Quality Modeling: Exploring the Effects of Surface Depressions and Wetlands at 1 p.m. on Feb. 24 at North Dakota State University's Offerdahl North (CIE) 102. Khanaum is advised by Xuefeng Chu, NDSU professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering.

Congratulations to Aditya Goyal, pictured right below, who was the winner of the North Dakota State University 3-Minute Thesis competition for 2025! NDSU VP for Research Colleen Fitzgerald, Ph.D. served as the emcee of Thursday's championship round. Goyal won the championship round on Thursday for his presentation titled "Creating Sustainable Phosphorous Fertilizers," which talks about nanotechnology applications to make conventional fertilizer more efficient. Goyal's research is funded by a USDA-NIRA grant. Goyal was one of two individuals to be awarded the 3MT Innovation Commendation which is awarded by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business, recognizing his work for creativity, innovation and ability to be commercialized to solve a major problem. Chinenye Muolokwu also was a winner of that award. #thesis #championship #phosphorous #fertilizer

Good luck to NDWRRI graduate researcher Aditya Goyal and the students competing at the 3-Minute Thesis Competition today at North Dakota State University! The event takes place at 2 p.m. at the Anishinaabe Theater on the NDSU campus.

The NDWRRI has named Zhulu Lin, North Dakota State University associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, as a Faculty Fellow. Lin will provide water research leadership and information to NDSU while contributing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research-based solutions to water quality and water access problems for the state and the nation. Lin has been a faculty member at NDSU since 2008. Lin specializes in hydrological and water-quality modeling and the analysis of environmental systems. He has built collaborations across campus, government agencies and other universities with experts in various fields as a result of this work. His contributions to these areas include developing computer models and software, conducting numerical analysis of environmental data and evaluating policies and practices based on environmental, economic and social indicators. https://lnkd.in/gtPE8dR4 #water #facultyfellow #research

The removal of microplastics from wastewater treatment processes is a goal for researchers. Studying this issue and finding ways to reduce the microplastics is a multi-faceted problem. Fangtian Li, a recipient of a NDWRRI Graduate Research Fellowship, is advised by Yun Ji, a NDWRRI affiliated faculty member. Li conducted research to better understand and improve the removal of such microplastics. The findings suggest that microplastics with larger densities and sizes are more easily removed. The study underscores the importance of refining wastewater treatment processes and may help play a role in future environmental management. https://lnkd.in/giDCdMqy

All are invited to join NDWRRI Director candidate Dane Mataic, NDSU assistant professor of Sociology and current NDWRRI faculty fellow, in his North Dakota Water Resoures Director candidate presentation entitled "A Vision for Water Resources Research At NDSU." https://lnkd.in/efqr3pAz

Studying the Larimore Dam, located on the Upper Turtle River in North Dakota, plays a key role in understanding reservoir dynamics across the state, specifically sedimentation and its impact on the dam’s long-term viability. Adewale Ajao, University of North Dakota student in geology and geologically engineering, researched the dam and its sustainability. He surveyed the dam for its storage capacity, sedimentation characteristics and potential for leakages. Ajao used advanced survey techniques, including the autonomous surface vehicle called HYCAT (pictured) that includes GPS communication, side-scan sonar and offshore monitoring devices. The data helped to assess the reservoir’s storage capacity, compare it with original design specifications and analyze any potential issues such as leakage or sediment buildup. Ajao’s modeling effort is crucial to understand how sediment movement and erosion within a watershed impact water flow, reservoir life and long-term water resource management. #reservoir #sediment #leakage #drainage #larimoredam

Ice that forms on rivers has a key role in flow characteristics during the winter and spring. From the time of freezing to the time the ice cover melts, river ice affects flows structures, which lead to flooding, ice jams and ice dams. Understanding the hydraulic and hydrologic mechanisms behind river ice is a challenge because of the difficulty of conducting field studies in tough winter weather conditions. Berkay Koyuncu, Ph.D, a North Dakota State University Ph.D. student in environmental and conservation science from 2019-24, studies in more depth the how river ice impacts the vertical and cross-sectional velocity profiles, secondary flow patterns and the velocities of river flows. Using a mix of analytical methods, field observations and large eddy simulation (LES) models, the research found that ice cover alters secondary flow patterns which can trigger double circulation, mainly in the deepest part of the river. The findings contribute to a better understanding of transient flow dynamics during the critical freeze-up and breakup periods, providing insights into flow behaviors that are crucial for managing ice-related hazards like ice jams and floods. #icejams #flooding #flowpatterns #flowstructures