Award Abstract # 2114718
AccelNet-Design: Designing a Water, Data, and Systems Science Network of Networks to Catalyze Transboundary Groundwater Resiliency Research.

NSF Org: OISE
Office of International Science and Engineering
Recipient: NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date: July 22, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: May 12, 2023
Award Number: 2114718
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Kara C. Hoover
kchoover@nsf.gov
 (703)292-2235
OISE
 Office of International Science and Engineering
O/D
 Office Of The Director
Start Date: October 1, 2021
End Date: March 31, 2024 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $250,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $299,999.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $250,000.00
FY 2023 = $49,999.00
History of Investigator:
  • Alexander Fernald (Principal Investigator)
    fernald@nmsu.edu
  • Ilya Zaslavsky (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Christine Kirkpatrick (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Ashley Atkins (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Saeed Langarudi (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: New Mexico State University
1050 STEWART ST.
LAS CRUCES
NM  US  88003
(575)646-1590
Sponsor Congressional District: 02
Primary Place of Performance: New Mexico State University
NM  US  88003-8002
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): J3M5GZAT8N85
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): AccelNet - Accelerating Resear
Primary Program Source: 01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 5912, 5922, 5943, 9150
Program Element Code(s): 069Y00
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.079

ABSTRACT

Transboundary aquifers serve as vital resources shared between countries that oftentimes have distinctive scientific understandings and management approaches. Groundwater is being depleted in an unprecedented way that is intensified in transboundary aquifers. This AccelNet design-track project creates a new international network of networks that connects U.S. and international networks of hydrology, social science, data science, and systems science to establish a novel transboundary groundwater resiliency research approach. The project addresses a key knowledge gap: Why is transboundary groundwater depletion happening and how can it be reversed? Despite previous attempts to understand this fundamental question, it remains largely unanswered. Outcomes from this project will set the foundation for this novel approach that transcends disciplinary thinking to understand why groundwater depletion occurs and how it can be changed. The ultimate impacts of the increased understanding of the systems? dynamics could be transformational: improved access to drinking water, sustainability of transboundary groundwater resources, enhanced water security, increased transparency and trust, and lower risk of conflicts.

This design project will link the networks essential to data-driven system dynamics modeling of transboundary groundwater systems. These new linkages will enable the infrastructure for transboundary groundwater resilience research and deliver conceptual advances that the next generation of water scientist leaders can build on in the future. The novel approach posits that identifying key data and system drivers would make significant progress towards producing research that catalyzes transformative change for transboundary groundwater systems. Objectives of the project are to: 1) catalyze transboundary ground water resilience research to address groundwater scarcity and its natural and societal impacts, 2) identify the capabilities of the convergence approach to determine key questions and fill critical gaps in knowledge and resources, and 3) support the development of students and early-career researchers who will lead the next generation to collaboratively integrate water, data, and systems science to address transboundary groundwater scarcity. The suite of virtual activities includes annual workshops, biannual coordination meetings, peer mentoring, a free online transboundary water modeling course, and a strong and active communication forum for the members. This design project will use surveys to evaluate the quality of the activities and document the lessons learned.

The Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet) program is designed to accelerate the process of scientific discovery and prepare the next generation of U.S. researchers for multiteam international collaborations. The AccelNet program supports strategic linkages among U.S. research networks and complementary networks abroad that will leverage research and educational resources to tackle grand scientific challenges that require significant coordinated international efforts.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Rajah, Jefferson K and Atkins, Ashley_E_P and Tang, Christine and Bax, Kathelijne and Wilkerson, Brooke and Fernald, Alexander G and Langarudi, Saeed P "Understanding Hydrologic, Human, and Climate System Feedback Loops: Results of a Participatory Modeling Workshop" Water , v.16 , 2024 https://doi.org/10.3390/w16030396 Citation Details

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

Transboundary aquifers are critical water resources for communities around the world, yet many show declining water levels and face multiple challenges to understanding and management because they straddle international borders. The Transboundary Groundwater Resilience (TGR) Network of Networks (NoN) enabled new international collaborations to understand the complexities of groundwater depletion and how to address it by bringing together a new suite of networks and communities in the water, data, social, and systems sciences (Fig. 1). This National Science Foundation (NSF) Design Phase AccelNet project catalyzed research that is advancing discovery on shared groundwater resources and produced outcomes that would not have been possible without this project. The project built a new international framework to advance needed convergence of multiple disciplines to confront transboundary groundwater depletion. The TGR NoN built an infrastructure of online tools and provided a suite of events to include diverse participants. The project activities led to highlighted ongoing on-the-ground efforts along the US-Mexico border and in eastern Europe to improve understanding and management of transboundary aquifers.

 

Beginning in 2021, the TGR NoN built and sustained collaboration through convening efforts that included workshops, peer mentoring events, and seminars. Many were co-hosted with member networks. Asynchronous network building included a network assessment to identify research trends and leaders, an online course on system approaches to modeling transboundary groundwater resources, and virtual spaces for member communication. Designed to be a participatory and continually self-assessing NoN, we utilized surveys throughout the project to understand how to better meet the needs of network members and accelerate scientific discovery.

 

The 2022 Annual Workshop brought together researchers and managers from across the world and across the water, data, social, and systems science disciplines. This interactive event utilized participatory modeling approaches to conceptualize and unify complexities across transboundary groundwater systems, as well as high-impact areas for collaboration across disciplines. Results were disseminated via a publication.

 

In-person and hybrid events were co-located with international convenings attended by TGR member networks such as the American Geophysical Union conferences, International System Dynamics Conference, International Association of Hydrogeologists 50th Worldwide Groundwater Congress, and UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). A TGR-led event during the 2023 UN Water Conference brought together worldwide network members with presenters from Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, and Sweden who openly shared their perspectives and challenges related to transboundary groundwater research and management; the event resulted in a UN Sustainable Development Goal action item.

 

To sustain discussions and collaborations across national and disciplinary boundaries, the TGR NoN developed an open community Slack channel. In addition, the TGR website hosted project resources, and the TGR newsletter served as a communication channel to share opportunities, upcoming events, and ways to get connected.

 

The TGR NoN built in leadership and speaking opportunities for students and early career researchers (ECRs), with three students and two ECRs contributing to project leadership and success. In addition, the NoN hosted a virtual peer mentoring meeting specifically aimed at supporting students and ECRs. Attendees were encouraged to share presentations on work-in-progress research and get supportive and constructive feedback from broadly trained members.

 

Improvements to a coauthorship network analysis tool, the Survey Analysis via Visual Exploration (SuAVE), enabled development of a TGR NoN membership directory and listing of publicly accessible peer-reviewed publications and government reports for transboundary groundwater. Analysis showed research and collaboration trends and connections between specific researchers, countries, and networks by specific aquifer systems. This effort supported TGR NoN expansion and new research collaboration partnerships.

 

The project yielded highlight follow-on projects where the TGR approach is being discussed and used for transboundary groundwaters in: 1) the US and Mexico and 2) five countries of eastern Europe. TGR co-hosted Two Nations One Water: 2021 Binational Water Conference for Chihuahua, New Mexico, and Texas, which brought together water researchers and managers navigating approaches to groundwater sustainability along the US-Mexico border. It helped elevate mutual understanding of different stakeholder needs and set the tone for ongoing efforts, building a strong foundation for coordinated binational research slated to continue with a US-Mexico groundwater working group meeting in September 2024. The co-authorship network analysis led to a multi-year and multidisciplinary research collaboration between the United States, Mexico, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, exploring cutting-edge approaches to fine-scale modeling of groundwater systems in transboundary regions, with the first on site project meeting in Poland scheduled in October 2024.

Transboundary groundwater systems are complex, and advancing understanding necessitates leveraging the strengths of multiple disciplines. TGR brought together unconnected networks (Fig. 2), and set the foundation for advancing discovery to increase resilience of shared transboundary aquifers. New research collaborations and approaches catalyzed by the TGR are underway with ongoing impacts expected into the future. 


Last Modified: 08/05/2024
Modified by: Alexander G Fernald

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