Danna Villarreal, a doctoral student in biological and agricultural engineering at the U of A, was awarded "Best Science Communication"  for her poster, "Assessing the Potential Role that Integrated Agricultural-Reservoir Systems Have on Water Quality," at the Networking for Engineering with Nature Symposium held in St. Augustine, Florida, in May. 

The "Best Science Communication" award is given to a presenter who communicates their complex engineering topic in a way that can be understood and interpreted across multiple disciplines and fields. 

Villarreal stood out among 29 presenters from partner organizations, including universities from Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, California and North Carolina, to win the award. 

When asked what winning this award means to her, Villarreal shared, "My primary goal was achieved. Being able to disseminate scientific results into an understandable format for the conference audience was just as important to me as sharing my research findings." 

Her research focused on the impact of complex water systems with extensive dams, reservoirs and agricultural production on water quality, shedding light on a crucial aspect of water resource management.

Villarreal's passion for researching and sharing her findings on water resource management is driven by the global significance of this issue. 

"Water is a key element for every living thing in the world, from regulating the climate to providing life on Earth. The ability to manage it properly is a worldwide challenge. Investment in time and money, along with advancing interest among stakeholders, is crucial to improving our water resources, which is why I am passionate about science communication," Villarreal said. 

Her faculty mentor, Becca Muenich, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering, expressed her pride in Villarreal's achievement and the university's program.

"Danna winning this award exemplifies the kind of students we have in BAEG - they are not only highly trained in their engineering field but well-rounded and capable of going beyond the technical components of their work," Muenich said.

Villarreal and Muenich will continue to use the results of her research to assess how to design and scale up engineering with nature in complex resource systems, leading to a more sustainable future.

Villarreal presenting her poster, “Assessing the Potential Role that Integrated Agricultural-Reservoir Systems Have on Water Quality,” at the Nature Symposium in St. Augustine, Florida, in May. (Photo credit: Olivia Allen, Sarah Buckleitner, and Megan Sam)