Radford students, faculty impress with research presentations at American Water Resources Conference

Four Radford University students and their mentor, Assistant Professor of Geospatial Science Naveen Joseph, presented their research at the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Annual Conference, Nov. 10-12, 2025, in Westminster, Colorado.

Students highlighting their work at the prestigious conference were geospatial science majors Kayla Fields, David Green and Tyler Stanhope and geology major Natalie Infante.

“Our presentations highlighted student-led research on various water resources issues, including the effects of urbanization and climate change on water quality, microplastics and environmental justice, water quality trends in Virginia and national water scarcity assessments,” explained Joseph, who also presented at the conference.

At the three-day event, Fields and Green each gave 15-minute oral presentations. Fields spoke about her work “Assessing the impact of urbanization and climate change on water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” and Green talked about “Identifying the disproportional effect of microplastics on low-income communities.”

Infante and Stanhope presented their research topics to conference goers at a poster session. Infante’s presentation provided information on “Analyzing water quality trends in the New River Valley and Richmond in Virginia,” while Stanhope’s topic delved into “Assessing water scarcity in the United States using census-based statistical database.”

Presenting at the AWRA annual conference “was an incredible experience,” said Fields, a junior from Yorktown, Virginia. “It provided an opportunity for me to connect with and learn about the work of other researchers and industry professionals.”

The conference brought together water resources professionals from academia, government and industry across the U.S. and abroad,” said Joseph, whose research involves exploring hydrological models to address water resources issues at regional and nationwide scales.

Joseph presented at the conference his collaborative research with Professor Andrew S. Foy, titled “Spatiotemporal Assessment of Agricultural Water Footprint and Blue Water Scarcity in Virginia.”

AWRA, Joseph continued, “provided an excellent platform for our students to share their independent and program-based research – through independent study, Elevate Research, work study, honors capstone and more – and to network with leading experts in the field.”

Several attendees, including faculty from the University of Utah, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Alabama, and Virginia Tech, expressed enthusiasm for the quality of research being conducted at Radford University, Joseph said.

Fields, a recipient of the Virginia Lakes and Watersheds Association Leo Bourassa Scholarship, said she met incredible researchers and industry professionals at the conference “who are passionate about water resources, and all have the same goal in mind: to bring awareness to the global water quality and water scarcity issues.”

She expressed gratitude to Radford University for providing students with opportunities for research and presenting their work at renowned conferences.

 “Radford University's Office of Undergraduate Research does an amazing job of supporting student research, paving the way for future opportunities for each student. Presenting at national conferences is not something many undergraduate programs offer. Having these opportunities gives Radford students a head start on pursuing their academic passions.”

In April, Joseph accompanied Fields and Annelise Britton ’25 to the AWRA spring conference in Anchorage, Alaska. There, Fields won first prize, and Britton ’25 won runner-up for best student oral presentations.