Professional Projects

The Professional Project is the culmination of students' experience in the Water Resources Program. Working on a project of their choosing under the supervision of an advisor and a committee of faculty members and outside experts, students spend a semester or two focused on work that spans the academic world they are coming from and the professional world into which they'll soon be heading. The goal of the work is to demonstrate the student's abilities and skills to future employers and to contribute to the program's goals of improving sustainable water management in New Mexico and the West through education and research. The project culminates in a professional-quality paper and a public presentation.

Recent topics have ranged from the technical details of stream channel restoration in an arid environment to the synthesis of stakeholder interviews exploring agricultural water needs including governance and opportunities to manage water scarcity in the Middle Rio Grande basin.

You can find much more in the archives of the UNM digital repository.

Check out this list of recently published papers that include research from professional projects. While not required for a Water Resources degree, professional projects can culminate in a peer-reviewed publication with faculty advisors/collaborators.