Hydraulic Structure Collaborations: Mind the Gap of Industry and Academia

Hydraulic structures are the common element to many water challenges. Seeking sustainable solutions requires wise decision making and effective stewardship. As we pursue these two goals, we have a constant opportunity for collaboration as both individuals and groups or communities. Indeed, operative collaborations across business, education, research institutions have leveraged the knowledge and experience of each and resulted in innovative, practical, and cost-effective water solutions. This keynote focuses on the commonality between industry and academia via the experiences and viewpoints of the author specific to hydraulic structures, including 1) the value of applied research and project collaborations, 2) the flow of information between practitioners and researchers, 3) design-focused education and knowledge, and 4) curriculum suggestions for young faculty. This talk will also give a perspective of the future that may be of interest to those navigating the gap between your University education and your first employment and your first years as a young professional