U of A hosts international researchers tackling water and climate challenges with computational innovation

The University of Arizona hosted the 2024 Computational Methods in Water Resources (CMWR) Conference at the Student Union Memorial Center from September 30 to October 3, 2024. Established in 1976 at Princeton University, this year's event marked the 25th edition of  the biennial conference that alternates between North America and Europe.

The conference welcomed 230 attendees from 26 countries, with participants from 40 U.S. institutions across 18 states. The program included technical sessions and keynote talks covering a wide range of topics, including applications of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and the assessment of human-nature interactions to address water challenges.

"Computing is critical for understanding and predicting water behavior at global and local scales," said Bo Guo, conference chair and associate professor of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. “Our ability to simulate complex hydrological systems using mathematical models allows us to address issues such as drought and flood resilience, clean-up of contaminated waters and the mitigation of natural disasters.” 

As climate anomalies become more frequent, computational models offer powerful tools for forecasting and protecting communities. For example, flood modeling advancements presented at CMWR could improve early warning systems in vulnerable areas such as Florida, while in water-scarce regions like the U.S. Southwest, these models can guide optimal water use decisions.

Hosting CMWR 2024 further boosted U of A's profile in water resources research, a key area of historical strength for the university, said Guo. "The conference planted seeds for high-profile collaborations,” he said, “and contributed to career-transforming networks for our community, especially graduate students and postdoctoral researchers."

Guo added, "The quality of science and enthusiasm were excellent, reminding us that together, we can tackle even our biggest challenges through scientific discovery and engineering innovation."