PSI director Joel Baker will present “Water in the City: Let’s Get Better At This” at the RAIN Superheroes of Science lecture series on April 8th in Tacoma.
Water is ubiquitous. We all take it for granted and yet agonize over it. Most of us use 10 gallons each morning before our first cup of coffee and over 100 gallons throughout the day. While 3 in 10 people worldwide lack access to clean water in their homes, those of us in developed countries blithely turn the spigot. Despite this, we fear unseen pollutants, fight over supplies, and worry about running out of this valuable but nearly cost-free resource. Water cuts through all aspects of our lives, our communities, and our economies, and the study of water provides an excellent platform to observe our world. In this presentation, we will explore how advances in analytical sciences and computing technologies led to vastly improved water supplies. We will then discuss the impact of easy access to large quantities of partially- or selectively-interpreted data and the rapid spread of social media on our ability to comprehend risks. Are we in a water crisis? Is the sky falling? Should you believe those who say ‘What, me worry?” We will finish with some thoughts on exciting innovations in how cities manage water. You will be challenged to reinvigorate your best superpower–critical thinking about your world!
The series is sponsored by RAIN, a non-profit biotech business incubator partnering with the University of Washington Tacoma.
The event will be held at the following time, date, and location:
Monday, April 8, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (PDT)
RAIN Incubator
2304 Jefferson Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402
