Professional Societies and the Energy-Water Nexus

Many grand challenges face our global society, ranging from health, nutrition, energy, climate change, environmental and water issues. One of the key issues involves the coordination of sustainable solutions regarding one grand challenge, such as water, while optimizing the impacts on others challenges (e.g. climate change and energy). During the last several years, scientists, engineers, and the public have begun to address the water-energy nexus. A key question is how professional societies can and the education systems can best support and coordinate efforts to serve the scientists, engineers, researchers and the public in addressing these multidisciplinary challenges? This presentation will explore possible roles of professional societies and educational activities, including credentialing, to best address these challenges in a trans-disciplinary fashion.