Saturday, June 28, 2025

Researchers examine six major water conservation strategies for agriculture

Colorado State University

Water is at the heart of agriculture. Every stage of the food-growing process depends on having reliable access to water. However, water levels are declining in many rivers and aquifers that function as key resources for agricultural producers, particularly in the Western U.S. Those declines threaten food supplies as well as critical ecosystems. A new review paper led by researchers at Colorado State University examines six strategies for addressing the challenge of water scarcity.

“There is no simple solution,” said Thomas Borch, professor in CSU’s Department of Soil and Crop Sciences with a joint appointment in the Department of Chemistry and the paper’s principal investigator and a senior author. “But the systems-based approach we discuss in our paper offers a strong foundation for building a more sustainable and effective water management strategy.”

Such strategies are critical in part because agriculture typically uses about 80% of available water supplies in the U.S.

Published this week in the journal Nature Water, the paper, titled “Advancing sustainable water use across the agricultural life cycle in the USA,” explores the potential effectiveness, drawbacks and adoption challenges for six approaches to conserving water nationwide

The approaches described are:

optimizing where crops are grown,
deploying more forward-thinking soil management strategies,
better utilizing modern irrigation technologies,
embracing water treatment and reuse methods,
reducing water demand in animal agriculture and
minimizing food loss and waste.

Although water scarcity is a global challenge, the paper focuses on the United States. In 2023, according to the paper, the U.S. produced more than 30% of the world’s corn and soybean crops; was the largest exporter of rice, cotton and almonds; and was the second-largest exporter of corn, soy and chicken meat.

One of the big takeaways, according to the authors, is that there is no “silver bullet” fix for this problem; a multi-faceted approach is needed. What’s more, the authors write, each water-saving strategy has its own inherent complications and challenges.

For example, the scientists note that there is significant potential to save water by growing crops that are best suited to the climate in any given region, yet there are many barriers that may deter farmers from changing what they grow. Switching crops can require substantial financial investment and involves inherent market-related risks.

It’s a similar story with using treated wastewater to irrigate crops — an approach the authors identify as having potential. But they also acknowledge there are barriers to adoption. Florida, California and Texas, as well as several European countries, already successfully use treated wastewater to irrigate agricultural fields and landscapes such as golf courses. And yet, the authors write, challenges remain with public’s perception of using treated wastewater to grow food and inconsistent regulations governing how treated wastewater can be used.

“We felt it was important to do this review because conversations around agricultural water use often focus on isolated fixes like improving irrigation efficiency without considering the broader systems or the potential environmental and economic trade-offs,” said Huma Tariq Malik, a doctoral student in Borch’s lab at CSU and the lead author on the paper. “We wanted to pull together a range of approaches, look at how they interact and see where the real opportunities lie.”

Two more routes the authors examine as possibilities for saving water are reducing water demand associated with animal agriculture and reducing the amount of water used to grow food that is eventually lost or wasted. Uneaten food in the U.S. accounts for about 22% of all water use in the country, the researchers note. They also note that prioritizing less water intensive feed crops could be an effective route to reducing water demand in animal agriculture.

“Our paper shows that each of us can play a role in protecting our limited water resources for agriculture,” Borch said, “by supporting precision farming, choosing crops that suite our local climate, cutting down on food waste and even being more mindful about what we eat.”

In addition to examining each strategy, the authors also noted the role of policy in addressing water scarcity. Implementing local, regional and national policies that promote water-saving measures in agriculture is critical, they write: “The key to achieving sustainable water management through these strategies lies in policies that effectively incentivize progress towards their implementation.”

Journal

Nature Water

DOI

10.1038/s44221-025-00450-7

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Advancing sustainable water use across the agricultural life cycle in the USA

Article Publication Date

29-Jun-2025

Taking the fear out of quantum physics

National pilot program led by UTA faculty equips STEM teachers to teach quantum science and inspire tech careers

University of Texas at Arlington

Hands-on learning helps students comprehend quantum science — image:
Just the word “quantum” can make even seasoned science teachers break into a sweat. But a national pilot program led by The University of Texas at Arlington is helping take the mystery out of the subject for students and educators alike.
This week, 50 high school students and science teachers gathered at Arlington Martin High School to dive into the topic through Quantum for All, a program launched by Karen Jo Matsler, a professor of practice and master teacher in UT Arlington’s UTeach program.
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Credit: UTA

Just the word “quantum” can make even seasoned science teachers break into a sweat. But a national pilot program led by The University of Texas at Arlington is helping take the mystery out of the subject for students and educators alike.

This week, 50 high school students and science teachers gathered at Arlington Martin High School to dive into the topic through Quantum for All, a program launched by Karen Jo Matsler, a professor of practice and master teacher in UT Arlington’s UTeach program.

“Just the word ‘quantum’ scares most people, including many science teachers,” said Dr. Matsler. “I created Quantum for All to give teachers the tools and language they need to easily integrate these concepts into secondary school STEM classrooms.”

Despite powering everything from smartphones and laptops to MRI machines and cybersecurity systems, quantum physics is rarely taught before college—if at all. That can steer students away from pursuing promising, high-paying careers as quantum engineers, developers and researchers.

And yet the field is booming. The quantum information technology market is expected to reach $44 billion by 2028—but companies are struggling to fill jobs. Right now, there are about three openings for every one qualified candidate.

Matsler’s Quantum for All program is filling this education gap by equipping high school science teachers with hands-on curriculum and classroom strategies, thanks in part to a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. A week before the camp begins, the STEM educators arrive in Arlington for training to teach quantum science. Then, the following week, dozens of local students join the camp, giving educators the chance to put their new teaching tools into action.

“When Texas first added quantum to the TEKS [Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills] in 2024, I wondered what activities I was going to use to teach to students,” said Arlington Martin physics teacher Amanda Benson, a 2015 UTA physics major and graduate from the UTeach program. “Quantum is very abstract. But this program gave me simple, doable things so I can show students how quantum is used in everyday life. It’s really awesome.”

Victor Cervantes, a 2018 UTA physics major and graduate from the UTeach program who is now a physics teacher in Forney Independent School District, said that because quantum technologies are so new, students and teachers are often learning side-by-side—something that actually gives them a connection in the classroom.

“Kids are often really engaged when they start to learn about quantum as they have heard the buzzwords from a lot of TV shows and movies,” Cervantes said. “This program gives us the tools to show our students how relevant physics really is. Also, since this is such a rapidly developing field, they’re excited to be learning something that is so cutting-edge.”

Mesquite High School physics and technology teacher Jaime Govea, who earned a physics degree and completed the UTeach program from UTA in 2018, said Quantum for All helps take the fear out of teaching a subject as abstract as quantum physics.

“Quantum often comes up at the very end of the school year, and a lot of teachers are afraid to teach it so they may opt to skip it,” Govea said. “The students aren’t afraid though—they’re either intrigued or just have no idea what it is. We have the advantage of their ignorant bliss to give them the information before they have a chance to get scared.”

Lauren Adams, a 2024 UTA biology major and UTeach graduate who is now a biology teacher at Eastern Hills School in Fort Worth, said Quantum for All gives her the tools to show her students the deep connection between scientific disciplines.

“Kids often think biology, chemistry and physics are separate from each other, but it’s important for them to see the big picture and know that it’s all connected,” Adams said. “For students in biology who are interested in the medical field, understanding these quantum principles helps them understand not only how equipment like MRI machines work, but also how treatments actually get into the body.”

Despite powering everything from smartphones and laptops to MRI machines and cybersecurity systems, quantum physics is rarely taught before college—if at all. That can steer students away from pursuing promising, high-paying careers as quantum engineers, developers and researchers.

And yet the field is booming. The quantum information technology market is expected to reach $44 billion by 2028—but companies are struggling to fill jobs. Right now, there are about three openings for every one qualified candidate.

UTA UTeach graduates Lauren Adams, Jaime Govea, Victor Cervantes and Amanda Benson with Dr. Matsler, center

Matsler’s Quantum for All program is filling the quantum information science education gap by equipping high school science teachers with hands-on curriculum and classroom strategies, thanks in part to a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. A week before the camp begins, the STEM educators arrive in Arlington for training to teach quantum science. Then, the following week, dozens of local students join the camp, giving educators the chance to put their new teaching tools into action.

This week, 50 high school students and science teachers gathered at Arlington Martin High School in Arlington, Texas, to dive into quantum information science through Quantum for All, a program launched by Karen Jo Matsler, a professor of practice and master teacher in UT Arlington’s UTeach program.

Credit

UTA

About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.

Heat impairs teamwork more than individual performance

New UC San Diego research underscores the need for climate adaptation in collaborative work environments

University of California - San Diego

As global temperatures rise, a new study from the University of California San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy reveals that even mild heat exposure can significantly hinder team performance, while leaving individual productivity largely unaffected. Productivity losses from heat exposure have been extensively studied at the individual level; however, these findings explore the role of interpersonal dynamics in high-temperature settings which have profound implications for workplaces worldwide, especially in regions with limited access to climate control.

The study, forthcoming in the Review of Economics and Statistics, involved an experiment run in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Computer science undergraduates were assigned to work either individually or in pairs on programming tasks in rooms set to 24°C (75°F) or 29°C (84°F). While individuals maintained consistent performance across both temperatures, teams in the warmer rooms experienced a notable decline in productivity.

“There's a breakdown in communication and interaction between workers when it's hot,” said study coauthor, Teevrat Garg, an associate professor of economics at the School of Global Policy and Strategy. “When it's hot, you're more irritable and annoyed and therefore less likely to work collaboratively with people, which is essential for creativity and innovation.”

The research highlights how heat exacerbates coordination challenges, particularly in diverse teams comprising members of different genders or academic standings. Participants in warmer conditions, reported lower satisfaction with their partners and a greater desire to switch collaborators for future tasks.

However, in the normal temperature conditions 24°C (75°F), teams generally outperformed individuals and were nearly twice as likely as individuals to add any features to the code.

These findings are especially pertinent for developing countries like Bangladesh, where rapid economic growth is coupled with limited climate control infrastructure. As knowledge-based industries expand in such regions, understanding the impact of environmental factors on team dynamics becomes crucial.

“Our study suggests that organizations should consider environmental conditions when structuring collaborative work,” said Elizabeth Lyons, study coauthor and associate professor of management at the School of Global Policy and Strategy. “Investing in climate control for team-based workspaces could yield significant productivity benefits.”

She added that the findings have major implications for modern economies, which increasingly depend on team-based production. In 2017, 78% of US employment was in occupations where group work was reported as either ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ important.

The study, also coauthored by Maulik Jagnani of Tufts University, was supported by the School of Global Policy and Strategy’s Policy Design and Evaluation Lab and Cowhey Center for Global Transformation, as well as UC San Diego’s Academic Senate.

Read the full study, Heat and Team Production: Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh.