Student conference empowers next generation of water scientists

Students, researchers and industry professionals from around the country gathered at South Dakota State University on Oct. 14 for the 2025 South Dakota Student Water Conference. The daylong event was designed to empower the next generation of water research professionals. 

Hosted by the South Dakota Water Resources Institute in collaboration with the SDSU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, the event took place in the University Student Union, bringing together participants from across the United States. 

The conference gave students a unique platform to: 

• Present research projects
• Improve science communication skills
• Network with professionals in water-related fields
• Learn about career pathways and graduate opportunities
• Compete in student research contests and gain professional feedback 

Among the presenters was Priyamvada Thorakkattu, a Ph.D. student in the SDSU Department of Dairy and Food Science, who showcased her research with a poster titled “Unlocking the Sustainability Protentional of Cow Water in Dairy Processing.” 

The conference opened new doors through networking for her. She got to meet new Water Resources Institute Director Ryan Lefers, and he even suggested some of the things that they could work on together in the future, Priyamvada said, describing the conference as “very fruitful.” 

Another participant, Erica Shrestha, a first-year master’s student in the SDSU Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, presented a poster titled “Evaluating Empirical and Machine Learning Approaches for Simulating Endorphins of Rapid Transpiration Using Limited Climatic Variables.” This presentation stemmed from her undergraduate research work, which she hopes will be able to help farmers and policymakers make more informed decisions about water source management. Like Thorakkattu, Shrestha also found the conference beneficial. 

“This was my first time doing the poster presentation, and I had a really good experience,” Shrestha said. “I got to connect with other people during the conference, talk to them, get to know them. We (student attendees) also got some tips on how to find a job and how to proceed in our professional lives after we complete our degrees.” 

The event ran from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and featured a full agenda that was bookended by the Alan R. Bender Memorial Lecture in Water and Climate Resilience, presented by Margaret W. Gitau, agricultural and biological engineering professor at Purdue University. Gitau’s keynote presentation, “The Future of Our Freshwater: Tackling Water-Quality Impairments at the Root,” explored water quality modeling, data-driven management and global water resilience strategies. Attendees said the talk was relevant and had real-world applicability. 

The South Dakota Student Water Conference is an annual opportunity to foster collaboration, research advancement and student development in water science and engineering. Organizers plan to continue growing the event’s reach in the years to come. 

The event is made possible in large part because of the South Dakota Water Resources Institute. Housed at SDSU, the institute is dedicated to advancing water research, education and outreach. It connects students, faculty and stakeholders to address the state’s most pressing water challenges. More information is available on the South Dakota Water Resources Institute webpage.