Author: danielle@iwinst.org

A Day in the life of a GIS Project Manager

Grit May, GIS Project Manager As a GIS person, I spend nearly all day in an office behind several computers with large dual monitors. GIS or geographic information systems allows for the analysis of geospatial data. These data can come from multiple different sources such as satellite images, GPS surveys, or databases and tables with…
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A Year in the Life of a Conservation Corpsmember

LaRyssa Nelson, Monitoring and Education Corpsmember Hello!  My name is LaRyssa Nelson and I am the current Monitoring and Education Conservation Corpsmember at the International Water Institute!  I began my service term in January of 2020; jumping right into training for IWI’s River of Dreams program. Last year, IWI welcomed their two newest employees and…
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Watersheds 101 and Glacial Lake Agassiz

Taylor Lemieux, Monitoring and Education Specialist When I tell people about my job, the first thing they ask is “what’s a watershed?”. A watershed is an area of land that drains water into a specific area, usually a body of water. The watershed boundary will follow the elevation of the land, beginning at the highest…
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Different Watersheds, Same Dream

Danielle Graham, Education Program and Communications Specialist  “Tiny boat message found 27 years after Duluth teachers launched it into Lake Superior” read an article title in the Grand Forks Herald.  The article went on to tell of a second-grade classroom in Duluth, Minnesota that had launched two small boats into Lake Superior and, as the…
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Promising Partnerships – A Success Story

Chuck Fritz, Executive Director It is hard for me to fathom, but it’s been over 22 years since the inaugural International Water Institute Chair, George “Bud” Sinner convinced me to become the Executive Director.  My decision to accept was in no small part due to the fact that Bud was the former ND Governor who…
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A Day in the Life of a Water Quality Monitor – Step by Step Guide to Field Monitoring

Phillip Oswald, Monitoring and Education Specialist A day in the life of a water quality monitor is a balance of planning and reacting. Under normal conditions, we sample every 10-14 days. However, I have to be ready to sample the very next day if there is a big rain event. The International Water Institute (IWI)…
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River Recreation (especially in the Red River Basin)

Asher Kingery, Project Specialist Over the years I have shortened how I introduce myself to others as simply a ‘river person.’ It’s short and easy to say but it leaves people confused and wondering what I do…..perfect!  Now they are ready to hear stories and learn more about what that self-made term means, and they…
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Advice for the Young Natural Resource Professional – 5 Things to Consider

Danni Halvorson, Education and Monitoring Director The following pieces of advice are an attempt to provide some guidance to those seeking employment and/or while working in a natural resources field.  All considerations are opinion based on 20+ years of working as a Natural Resource Professional in the Red River Basin.    Consideration #1 – All jobs…
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Nothing Makes Sense About Being A Research Director, Unless You Realize Your Career Follows a Crooked Path

By: Mark Deutschman I had just agreed to join the staff of the International Water Institute (IWI) on a part-time basis after 30 plus years in private consulting. The voice of the Executive Director, Chuck Fritz, on the other end of the phone line asked, “What are we going to call you, Mark?” I replied…
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Fresh Look for 2018

Welcome to the International Water Institute’s new website! We revamped the site in its entirety, so take your time to explore and feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions. Stay tuned for more updates soon!