The U is partnering with Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan to provide clean water solutions for one of the most water-stressed countries in the world.
Water is one of the most treasured resources on this planet, and clean water is even more valuable. The U.S. Agency for International Development is funding this five-year project to improve water security and quality, while also teaching Pakistani engineers about sustainable development.
Mike Hardman, chief global officer at the U, said that the venture is both a research project and a teaching project.
“Improving the quality of life in Pakistan is the ultimate goal,” Hardman said.
USAID sent out a call to universities for proposals on how to improve access to water, energy and food. Tariq Banuri, professor of Economics and Associate Director of the USAID Partner Center for Advanced Studies in Water, is from Pakistan and helped provide cultural knowledge. U professors provided the skills and the U was chosen to receive the grant. The U will be helping with the water aspect of the three-part program to improve Pakistan.
Water-borne diseases account for about 60 percent of child deaths in Pakistan and 15.9 million people do not have access to safe water. Banuri said climate change has worsened the problem with increased frequency and length of droughts and more recurrent floods. These effects have made it difficult to find clean water in a low-cost way.
To combat these problems, professors will improve flood forecasting methods and groundwater retrieval while keeping energy use and costs low. Professors from various disciplines are involved in the project and the U is also collaborating with professors from Colorado State University, City College of New York, Stockholm Environment Institute and the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in Delft, Netherlands.
Climate change will eventually affect Utah as well, so any techniques learned in the desert climate of Pakistan can later be applied here, Banuri said.
The project will not only benefit Utah, but benefit the entire globe. This is part of the reason U President David Pershing has put emphasis on creating more international ties, Hardman said.
Students and professors from Mehran University will be working side-by-side with U professors in Pakistan as well as coming to Utah to continue their education. While the U hopes to send students to Pakistan, Banuri said current security standards limit this possibility. As the political state of Pakistan improves, the U will be sending students over as well.
While the primary goal is to provide cheaper, cleaner and more reliable water, USAID is also hoping to increase gender equality in Pakistan by working with high school students and hiring more female faculty in the area.
Female engineer numbers are low around the world and are especially low in Pakistan. USAID wants to increase the percentage of female engineer students at Mehran University to 50 percent.
@carolyn.webber