Daugherty Water for Food Podcast

In this special episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Peter McCornick, Executive Director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, as he concludes nearly a decade of leadership. This deep-dive conversation covers Peter's distinguished career, from his early life on a farm in Scotland and pivotal international work in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, to what drew him to lead the Institute in Nebraska. They discuss DWFI's greatest strategic achievements, the lasting impact of its work both globally and within Nebraska's agricultural community, and the philosophy behind investing in student research. Finally, they tackle the most urgent challenges facing water and food security in the next decade and the legacy Peter hopes to leave behind. Join us for a look back at institutional growth and a look ahead at the future of global innovation for a water and food secure world.

In this episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Crystal Powers, DWFI and Nebraska Water Center's water and cropping systems extension educator, to discuss why the most revolutionary science can only drive change if it's communicated effectively. Crystal and her colleague, Ann Briggs, at the Nebraska Water Center, created the "Beyond the Data" workshop, which aims to transform researchers and conservation professionals from data presenters into compelling storytellers. We explore the critical skills scientists need today, including the importance of audience empathy and tackling the barriers created by academic jargon. Crystal offers essential insights on communicating complex trade-offs in water management, building trust with the agricultural community and framing research on challenging topics. If you're a researcher, practitioner or stakeholder in water and food security, this episode offers insights for ensuring your science moves beyond the lab and into real-world policy and action.

In this episode, we explore a unique initiative that puts water quality testing directly into the hands of high school students across Nebraska. Sara Brock-Contreras, a PhD student advised by Dr. Dan Snow, joins us to discuss her work on the Know Your Well program—an innovative educational and participatory science effort that equips students with the tools, training, and confidence to test domestic wells in their communities. Through hands-on learning, students gain a deeper understanding of water quality, local geology, and science communication while generating real data about local water quality. Sara shares how this interdisciplinary program is inspiring and engaging the next generation of water leaders. Learn more about the UNL Nebraska Water Center's Know Your Well program at https://knowyourwell.unl.edu/

This episode of the Water for Food Podcast explores the valuable collaborations that can arise from in-person interactions, even in a digital age. Host Frances Hayes, DWFI director of communications and public relations, shares a story that perfectly illustrates the lasting impact of those face-to-face moments, which can lead to unexpected and valuable partnerships. Adam Keough, program manager with Catholic Relief Services and Treaven Scheideler, a University of Nebraska student, discuss their cross-cultural collaboration, sparked by a chance meeting at a tractor museum during the 2023 Water for Food Global Conference. Adam's team in El Salvador needed hands-on training with mechanized equipment and Treaven, drawing on his own farming experience in Nebraska, provided assistance while taking advantage of a formative learning experience. View photos from Treaven's visit to El Salvador » https://www.flickr.com/photos/raiceselsalvador/albums/72177720315528127/

Episode 44 - The Vadose Zone - A critical indicator for Nebraska groundwater quality The vadose zone is the area between crop roots and the water table, and is a critically important region for storage, transport and transformation of chemicals that can impact groundwater quality. In this episode of the Water for Food Podcast, host Frances Hayes talks with Arindam Malakar, a researcher with the Nebraska Water Center (NWC, a part of DWFI) who studies Nebraska's vadose zone and monitors the impacts of irrigation and fertilizer on groundwater. Hayes is also joined by Marie Krausnick, assistant general manager for Nebraska's Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District (NRD). The Upper Big Blue NRD and other NRDs across the state have partnered with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Nebraska Water Center in researching nitrate concentration in their districts. While nitrate levels in some areas have decreased in the Upper Big Blue NRD, there has been an overall increase of 54% in the district. In Nebraska, as in many parts of the world, one of the key chemicals monitored in the vadose zone is nitrate. Nitrogen is a critical plant nutrient, but once it sinks below the roots and enters the vadose zone, it becomes a liability: both an economic loss for the farmer and a potential public health risk for some rural communities where wells have not been recently tested. Excess nitrate in drinking water can cause adverse health effects, particularly in infants and vulnerable populations, as too much nitrate in the body makes it harder for red blood cells to carry oxygen. Contaminants, like nitrates, present in the vadose zone can eventually appear in the underlying aquifers. NWC takes soil cores all the way down to the groundwater table, sometimes over 100 feet, and tests them for nitrate and other contaminants. These cores are crucial for understanding how water and chemicals move through the soil and potentially reach groundwater. They can also be useful in predicting water quality issues. The Nebraska Water Center Water Sciences Lab has collected vadose cores for decades. To increase the usability of all this data, they launched the Nebraska Vadose Zone Program online portal in 2015 with funding from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (now the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment), and several Natural Resources Districts (NRDs).