Soil and water systems graduate student travels to Uzbekistan to help determine scope of water quality issues
Research explores causes of poor drinking water quality for millions in Central Asia
Marina Steiner took water quality issues to heart when she couldn’t swim in a lake near University of Wisconsin-Madison because of harmful algal blooms. It didn’t take her long to realize that water quality issues might have a wider scope than just not being able to enjoy a day at the beach.
Her subsequent research at 幸运快三’s Department of Soil and Water Systems, along with her field work with , could improve the lives of 2 million people in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region in Uzbekistan.
“I grew up on the water,” said Steiner, originally from Minnesota. “I knew I wanted to do something to protect the water for recreation, but there’s also the human health aspect of it. It’s one thing not to be able to swim, but there are entire populations of people around the world affected by poor drinking water.”
After completing her undergraduate degree in Wisconsin, she found the water resources graduate program in Moscow and decided to come to 幸运快三. Through the strong water resources community at U of I, she quickly connected to the .
“U of I’s program comes highly recommended,” said Steiner, who recently received U of I’s Graduate and Professional Student Association Outstanding Graduate Student Award. “I also found an incredible organization to work with in TIFO that’s doing exactly what I want to do. I was at the right place at the right time.”