Appalachian Freshwater Initiative Year 4 Accomplishments WV EPSCoR - PDF document

6/13/2019 Appalachian Freshwater Initiative Year 4 Accomplishments WV EPSCoR All Hands Meeting June 13, 2019 WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative Recommendations from and Responses to the NSF Site Visit Report Recommendation # 1: Provide a detailed management plan that thoughtfully and comprehensively describes all aspects of integrative and project-level leadership tasks. Recommendation #4: Submit a plan that outlines the process for rapidly developing a coherent scientific vision for the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative (AFI). WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 1

6/13/2019 Detailed Management Plan Quarterly Report Accountability Action Reporting Evaluation Investigator must submit remediation plan within 2 Funding is weeks of score reporting and maintained receive an average of 2+ on next quarterly report Average Evaluation Score <1.75 Investigator does not submit a remediation plan and/or Quarterly Reports Funding is does not receive an average are graded on a withdrawn grade of 2+ on the next scale of 1-3 quarterly report by AFI Leaders within 2 weeks of submission Average Evaluation No further action until next Score > 2 quarterly reporting period WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative AFI Organizational Structure Jason Hubbart AFI Technical Lead Chuck Somerville Jason Hubbart Ulises Toledo MU Campus Lead WVU Campus Lead WVSU Campus Lead Gerald Hankins, Research Coordinator Laura Tinney, Program Manager Hannah Payne, Outreach Coordinator Group 1: Sensors Group 2: Complexity Group 3: Modeling Jason Hubbart, WVU Todd Petty, WVU Mike Strager, WVU Mike Norton, Marshall Jim Anderson, WVU Tony Szwilski, MU Mindy Armstead, MU Mike Fultz, WVSU Jack Smith, MU Brian Antonsen, MU Gerald Hankins, WVSU Fernando Rojano-Aguilar, WVSU WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 2

6/13/2019 Program Tracking and Communication • Updates during bi-monthly teleconferences • Within-group: Updates by everyone in attendance • Across-group: Group presentation schedule • AFI Leadership: Group progress, obstacles • All hands meeting (annual) • Interim (as needed, requested, opportunistic) meetings • Newly implemented quarterly reporting system • AFI listserv WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative Develop a Coherent Scientific Vision Grand Challenge Statement: Through the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative Grand Challenge, we will advance understanding of ecological and biological impacts of contaminants in water under varying climates to meet West Virginia and regional needs for safe and secure water. Inter and intra-institutional groups investigating pollutant sensing technologies, abiotic and biotic complexities of perturbations of water quality, and modeling of these complex systems, will integrate ideas, approaches and technologies to further stimulate innovation, discovery and advancement of science and resource management. WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 3

6/13/2019 Develop a Coherent Scientific Vision Grand Challenge Question: How do the harvesting of wood products, the extraction of energy resources, the production of energy, and the synthesis of chemical products, for the benefit of much of the country, impact environmental health in Appalachia? AFI was designed to answer this question by targeting innovation in the speed and sensitivity of pollution detection, the resolution of sub-lethal impacts on function from the cellular to the watershed scale, and by modeling how pollutants, and their impacts, migrate through aquatic environments – both under current flow regimes and those that can be expected as a consequence of climate change. Overarching questions:  What are the principal chemical, physical and biological threats to safe and secure water resources in the State of West Virginia?  What are the fundamental relationships between chemical, physical and biological impacts from the molecular to the watershed scale?  What can models reveal about fate and transport of pollutants resulting from land use practices and climate change? WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative AFI Year 4 Accomplishments Key Accomplishments:  Published a total of 45 peer - reviewed (primary literature) articles  Published 3 book chapters  Provided a total of 90 presentations (oral and poster) at local, state, regional, national and international conferences.  Conducted a total of 21 workshops, symposium/seminar presentations and outreach events , including 2 training courses/workshops for federal agencies and state agencies.  Worked with a total of 8 graduate students to complete their theses/dissertations , including six Master’s level and two Ph.D. level students. WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 4

6/13/2019 Student Accomplishments: Degrees Defended Masters  Arrick, Rachel F . 2018. Microbial communities as a signal of ecological integrity of eastern hellbender habitats. 2018. Marshall University.  Bausher, Emily . Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Carbonate Waters in the Peters Mountain Region of Monroe County, WV. 2018. West Virginia University.  Petersen, Fritz . Investigating Escherichia Coli in a Mixed Land-Use Watershed in West Virginia, USA. 2018. West Virginia University.  Wineland, Sean M . Using environmental DNA and occupancy modeling to identify drivers of eastern hellbender extirpation and sampling methods efficiency in West Virginia. 2018. Marshall University.  Khadgi, Sabin . Evaluation of Activation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon and Estrogen Receptors by Water from Arbuckle Creek in Minden West Virginia and by Coal Dust. 2018. West Virginia State University.  Dutta, Saugata . Non-Thesis: Effects of Coal Waste on Aryl Hydrocarbon Activation in Fish Cells. 2019. West Virginia State University. Ph.D.  Andrew, Ross . Examination and characterization of Brook Trout ecology before and after a broad scale disturbance event in head water streams of West Virginia. 2018. West Virginia University.  Gaertner, Brandi . Impacts of Climate and Land Cover on Water Balance Components in the Central Appalachian Mountains, USA. 2019. West Virginia University. WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative AFI Year 4 Accomplishments Sustainability Efforts:  Submitted 38 proposals to state, regional and federal agencies, industry and  foundations. Half of these proposals (n=19) have been awarded to date providing over $7.7M in funding to expand upon research initiated through AFI participation in this EPSCoR project. WVU Marshall WVSU Total Proposals Submitted 26 10 2 38 # Proposals 11 6 2 19 Awarded Amount of Proposals $1,139,654 $6,001,978 $600,561 $7,742,193 Awarded WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 5

6/13/2019 Student and Postdoc Involvement PY4 PARTICIPANTS WVU MU WVSU Total # Post-Docs 10 0 0 10 # Graduate Students 29 21 6 56 # Undergraduates 25 42 11 78 TOTAL 64 63 17 144 WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative AFI Year 4 Accomplishments Research Accomplishments  AFI researchers worked on a total of 92 subactivities related to three objectives (sensors, complexity and modeling) this project year.  Completed 35 subactivities related to three objectives  52 subactivities in progress as of Year 4 Annual Report, some that will be completed this summer.  5 subactivities behind schedule WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 6

6/13/2019 Other Impacts and Products Investments in research infrastructure will benefit AFI projects and affiliated programs: • Instrumentation: Upgraded Mass Spectrometer, Capillary Electrophoresis, Microfluidics Printer, High Resolution Fluorescence Microscopy, Total Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen Analyzer, Optical Emission Spectrometer • Research Capacity: Aptamer Discovery, human cell culture, C. elegans culture, toxicity assay developed, buprenorphine analysis protocol, eDNA collection and analysis WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative Other Impacts and Products • Established collaborations: WVU, WVSU, MU, Bucknell, NETL’s CT laboratory, USGS labs, multiple state agencies, and emerging public and private partners • Distinct research quantifying complex contaminants will provide the most comprehensive assessment of freshwater degradation • New technologies, expertise, and infrastructure (e.g., DOC analysis, eDNA, wastewater treatment, etc.) will enhance research opportunities within and beyond AFI WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 7

6/13/2019 Thank You AFI!!! Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Award Number OIA‐1458952. For more information: https://iwss.wvu.edu/projects/appalachian‐freshwater‐initiative https://iwss.wvu.edu/projects/appalachian‐freshwater‐initiative/products WV EPSCoR – Gravitational Wave Astronomy and the Appalachian Freshwater Initiative 8