麻豆传媒映画

麻豆传媒映画 celebrated the opening of the (OWL) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, setting research into motion at .

The 480-square-foot modular building and outdoor space will serve as a living learning laboratory where students, faculty, community members and regional partners can collaborate to address some of the region's most pressing water challenges. The lab鈥檚 three central functions are to advance research on innovative water systems and technologies, expand education, public engagement and lifelong learning, and provide hands-on training in emerging technologies and fields, such as watershed science and hydrology.

Those priorities come at a time when many communities, global and local, are confronting interconnected challenges around one of the world鈥檚 most essential resources. These challenges involve drought, contamination through extreme flooding, and sustainable water management. The OWL provides a learning and outreach environment that promotes education and outreach to investigate those challenges while preparing future scientists, engineers, environmental leaders and policymakers to develop practical, evidence-based solutions.

鈥淪an Diego knows firsthand that drought, water pollution and extreme weather are not abstract concerns,鈥� said 麻豆传媒映画 President Adela de la Torre. 鈥淎t the One Water Lab, our faculty and students can move research beyond theory 鈥� testing ideas and technologies in the living watershed and turning knowledge into solutions that protect our water and strengthen our region.鈥�

A home for water innovation

The lab builds on the breadth of well-established water research at 麻豆传媒映画, where bring expertise spanning water quality and quantity, flooding and hydrology, remote sensing, wastewater treatment and resource recovery, microbiology, emerging contaminants and the effects of disturbances such as wildfire on watersheds. 

鈥淥ne of the most exciting things about the One Water Lab is its potential to bring people together,鈥� said Natalie Mladenov, William E. Leonhard Jr. Endowed Professor, Director of the Water Innovation and Reuse Lab and professor 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. 鈥淥ur faculty are studying water from so many different perspectives. This facility creates opportunities for those areas of expertise to intersect in new ways.鈥�

The facility was made possible through $2.6 million in grant funding from the , an independent, nonregulatory state agency established to preserve, restore and enhance the San Diego River Area. The conservancy has been a key partner in bringing the lab to 麻豆传媒映画 Mission Valley and supporting the university鈥檚 broader goals for water research, education, and stewardship. The lab also will accept to support ongoing operations.

鈥淲hile the One Water Lab is 麻豆传媒映画 Mission Valley鈥檚 first dedicated research facility, but it represents only the beginning of what has long been planned for this site,鈥� said Hala Madanat, 麻豆传媒映画 vice president for research and innovation 鈥淎s the Innovation District continues to take shape, it will create new opportunities for research, education and collaboration that bring together our university, industry and community partners with real-world impact on our region and the world.鈥�

The lab will include recognition signage in honor of Deanna Spehn, a respected and dedicated public servant who served on the staffs of numerous elected officials, including former State Senator Christine Kehoe and State Senate President Pro Tempore Emeritus Toni Atkins. Through her leadership and commitment to San Diego, Spehn helped create the San Diego River Conservancy and championed its efforts to protect San Diego鈥檚 natural resources. Spehn died in 2022.

鈥淭he plaque honoring Deanna Sphen recognizes her contributions and the spirit of partnership that has made the One Water Lab possible,鈥� said Ben Clay, chair of the San Diego River Conservancy. 鈥淭he San Diego River Conservancy and 麻豆传媒映画 share a longstanding relationship grounded in a commitment to environmental stewardship. We are proud to build on that partnership through a facility that will serve students, researchers and the broader community for years to come.鈥� 

A living laboratory beside the San Diego River 

Located near the San Diego River and alongside the river park at , the OWL will promote the One Water Vision that 1) Water is interconnected; therefore, protecting and conserving our watersheds supports the ecosystems and communities that rely on them, and 2) All water, even wastewater, has value, especially in our water-scarce region. Stormwater supports healthy river flows that serve a healthy ecosystem, while wastewater can be treated with advanced technologies and reused for beneficial purposes, including high-purity potable water.

The lab鈥檚 location puts that philosophy into practice. Its proximity to the San Diego River and the bioretention basins located throughout the river park provides students and researchers access to a living urban watershed. Its access to gray water, rainwater, wastewater, and stormwater will make it possible to investigate water quality, stormwater treatment, water reuse and emerging water technologies.

The bioretention basins are designed to capture and filter stormwater runoff from the surrounding landscape before water flows into the San Diego River and eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean via Mission Bay. Together with the lab and its outdoor space, these features create opportunities for research, demonstrations and hands-on training beyond the walls of a traditional lab.

Water education for all

An important goal of the OWL is to partner with schools, community organizations, government agencies and industry leaders to broaden opportunities for education, outreach and workforce development while helping make water science more accessible. These collaborations strengthen the connection between scientific discovery and the communities that rely on healthy, resilient water systems.

For 麻豆传媒映画 students, the lab offers an opportunity for experiential learning. Hands-on research and training allows them to address questions that extend beyond the classroom, developing technical expertise while gaining a deeper understanding of how research can inform policy, support communities and contribute to environmental stewardship.