The Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series is back in-person!
After 2.5 years, the University of Minnesota’s Stormwater Seminar Series is back in-person at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory! Known for bringing the latest stormwater research to practitioners through bi-monthly talks by experts and interdisciplinary panel discussions, the Minnesota Stormwater Series has been operating virtually since March 2020. For many of the series’ 80+ regulars - including those who Zoom in from Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and South America - the option to join remotely has been a great one. Yet, series coordinator Dr. Andy Erickson is excited to once again offer in-person opportunities for stormwater professionals in the Twin Cities area to gather.
“Returning to a hybrid format with an in-person and online audience creates a stronger sense of connection and engagement between the keynote speaker, the local panelists, and their audience,” Erickson says.
During the latest seminar on October 13th, 2022, the Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series focused on assessing ecological impacts from urban stormwater to rivers, streams and estuaries, with a keynote address by Ken Schiff, Deputy Director of the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) in Costa Mesa, California. During his talk, Schiff shared tips and techniques for effective ecological monitoring, emphasizing the benefits of collaborative regional monitoring. “Working together is the key to making progress,” Schiff said, highlighting the ways in which partnerships can provide critical context for what needs to be done, enable technology development, save money and prompt dialogues which lead to better outcomes for all.
Following the keynote address, Schiff joined a panel discussion with experts Matt Kocian (Lake and Stream Specialist at Rice Creek Watershed District), Dr. Hong Wang (Principle Environmental Scientist at the Metropolitan Council) and Dr. Jessica Kozarek (Research Associate at St. Anthony Falls Laboratory). The stormwater experts responded to a range of questions from in-person and virtual audience members on topics such as promoting ecological resilience, measuring ecological restoration, emerging monitoring technologies and more.
“I really value discussions like this because they help us as [stormwater] scientists to determine where to go next,” says Kozarek.
The Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series has an exciting upcoming lineup, including discussions about chloride impacts from road salt and emerging contaminants such as 6ppd-quinone with experts like Dr. Joel Moore (Towson University) and Dr. Jen McIntire (Washington State University). Since the series was founded in 2019, 25 stormwater professionals have presented on a diverse range of work - from climate change to stormwater technology to nature-based solutions - with an average of 130 practitioners tuning in for every event.
According to Erickson, “The Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series is engaging and equipping stormwater professionals unlike any other platform because it connects the audience so directly with the most innovative green infrastructure and stormwater minds in the world.”
Every seminar is recorded and posted to the Seminar YouTube Channel, which has over 200 subscribers, almost 9,000 total views, and averages over 240 views per seminar.
In the months between Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series events, University of Minnesota Water Resources Center staff Maggie Karshnia and John Bilotta feature Minnesota Stormwater Research Spotlights, which highlight recent and ongoing results from local Minnesota stormwater research projects.
Join the next Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series or Research Spotlight event either in-person at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory or online. For more information, visit the series' website. We look forward to seeing you there!