Water Technology Listening Session

On April 23, 2014 in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, MnDRIVE: Advancing industry, conserving the environment sponsored the first in a series of listening sessions with members of Minnesota’s water treatment industry. Led by Co-Directors Mike Sadowsky and Paige Novak, the meeting focused on new technologies combining microbial, chemical, and physical processes for water treatment and water resource management.

“I was pleased at the number of companies that came to share their experiences with us,” said Mike Sadowsky. “The University of Minnesota has a rich history in water research and water resource sciences. We have a lot to offer, but we can also learn a lot from the experience of companies working in the field. I look forward to continuing the dialogue and exploring ways of working together on projects impacting Minnesota’s water resources.”

“I see a number of benefits from the Listening Session,” said Novak. “We were able to connect several companies with researchers at the University, as well as agencies like the Pollution Control Agency. Another company is working on a project with a potential tie-in to some of our work in the mining area. I was also impressed by the willingness of industry members to share advice and feedback. I think these meetings could be very beneficial for industry-industry connections as well.”

In addition to the companies in attendance, Christine Yaeger of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, introduced the Water Research Digital Library a searchable library of water research relevant to Minnesota.