Back to Summer 2010 Newsletter
Novelist John Updike is taking a dim view of leadership when he asks in his novel, Rabbit is Rich, “How can you respect the world when you see it’s being run by a bunch of kids turned old?” The Water Resources Research Center conference was organized with a far loftier idea of leadership, at least in the water and environmental field. Titled “Creating New Leadership for Arizona’s Water and Environment in a Time of Change,” the conference was premised on the belief that present and up-and-coming leaders share a commitment to ensure future wise management of the state’s water and environment.
With due respect to Updike, the conference recognized that many graduating students, the bunch of kids who will be turning older, will be the emerging leaders in the water and the environmental field. This, however, is seen as a cause of optimism; the conference recognized their talents and offered an opportunity to advance their interests.
A program lineup of seasoned professionals in the water and environmental field and promising rookies was part of the game plan for addressing conference issues.
The conference raised some critical questions: What kinds of leaders are needed to navigate a future marked by change and uncertainty? What is the best way to foster these leaders? The meeting served as a forum for participants, both established professionals and emerging leaders, those who have long labored in the field and those getting started, to work together to answer the very challenging questions.
This special edition of the Arizona Water Resource newsletter provides conference coverage, identifying major issues and noting some of the recommendations and findings from the different sessions. What is included is necessarily selective. Hopefully, however, the featured highlights will show that the conference was a vigorous and engaging event. Additional conference information is available at the WRRC web site: cals.arizona.edu/azwater.