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- Madani, Kaveh, et al.
(författare)
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Iran's Socio-economic Drought : Challenges of a Water-Bankrupt Nation
- 2016
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Ingår i: Iranian Studies. - : Cambridge University Press (CUP). - 0021-0862 .- 1475-4819. ; 49:6, s. 997-1016
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Iran is currently experiencing serious water problems. Frequent droughts coupled with over-abstraction of surface and groundwater through a large network of hydraulic infrastructure and deep wells have escalated the nation's water situation to a critical level. This is evidenced by drying lakes, rivers and wetlands, declining groundwater levels, land subsidence, water quality degradation, soil erosion, desertification and more frequent dust storms. This paper overviews the major drivers of Iran's water problems. It is argued that while climatic changes and economic sanctions are commonly blamed as the main drivers of water problems, Iran is mainly suffering from a socio-economic drought i.e. water bankruptcy, where water demand exceeds the natural water supply. In theory, this problem can be resolved by re-establishing the balance between water supply and demand through developing additional sources of water supply and implementing aggressive water demand reduction plans. Nevertheless, the current structure of the water governance system in Iran and the absence of a comprehensive understanding of the root causes of the problem leave minimal hope of developing sustainable solutions to Iran's unprecedented water problems.
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| 2. |
- Babbar-Sebens, Meghna, et al.
(författare)
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Training Water Resources Systems Engineers to Communicate : Acting on Observations from On-the-Job Practitioners
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of professional issues in engineering education and practice. - 1052-3928 .- 1943-5541. ; 145:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Engineers face the ongoing challenge to effectively communicate for diverse purposes and audiences across multiple settings. The authors interviewed 10 practicing water resources systems engineers to collect their lived experiences of the use of water resources systems analysis in their workplaces. Thematic analysis was used to identify three key communications hurdles practitioners face: stakeholder influence over the communication process, engineers as central to communication and decision making, and communication as an opportunity to educate stakeholders and engineers. Practitioners recommended classroom activities to overcome these hurdles and better integrate communications training into curricula. Recommendations include (1) expanding the use of case studies, (2) adding opportunities for role plays and team activities, (3) providing students with more practice on how to hold effective discussions, facilitate teamwork, and resolve conflicts, and (4) providing students with the broader contexts for class problems, including how political/institutional constraints, bureaucracies, and social issues may constrain communication and technical solutions. This study shares 22 example activities as online educational resources in a free, open, searchable repository and shows how activities can serve as a bottom-up approach to integrate communications training into the engineering curriculum.
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