The Water Data Forum is a virtual webinar series presented by the Cleveland Water Alliance, Water Environment Federation, and Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub. These interactive web sessions engage a cross-sector panel of experts in an exploration of utility, private sector, and research approaches to collecting, managing, and measuring water data for impact.
Upcoming webinar:
Summer 2024 (TBA)
Moderator: TBA
Panelists: TBA
Topic: Cybersecurity in Water
Host: TBA
Prior webinars:
April 16, 2024
Moderator: Alexander Tompkins, Remedion
Panelists: Yongli Zhang Wager, Wayne State University; Rachael Miller, Cora Ball and Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean; and Andrés Prada, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Topic: Catching the Unseen: AI’s Role in Tackling Microplastic Pollution
Hosts: Samantha Martin | Cleveland Water Alliance Director of Communications and Engagement; and W. John MacMullen | Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub Executive Director
November 8, 2023
Moderator: W. John MacMullen, Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub
Panelists: Pinar Balci, Bureau of Environmental Planning & Analysis, New York City Department of Environmental Protection; Geneva Gray, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and Lilit Yeghiazarian, University of Cincinnati
Topic: Toward a Resilient Water Future: Managing the Impacts of a Changing Climate on Community Infrastructure
Host: W. John MacMullen | Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub Executive Director
September 12, 2023
Moderator: Elkin Hernandez, DC Water
Panelists: Mike Karl, AECOM; Dr. Pusker Regmi, Brown and Caldwell; and Dr. Agnethe Nedergaard Pederson, VandCenter Syd (Denmark)
Topic: The Digital Twin Readiness Guide—The Path to Implementation
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
June 16, 2023
Moderator: Max Herzog, Cleveland Water Alliance
Panelists: Amy Kirby, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Anna Mehrotra, Water Environment Federation (WEF); Raul Gonzalez, Hampton Roads Sanitation District; and Nathan LaCross, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
Topic: Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
March 9, 2023
Moderator: Elkin Hernandez, DC Water
Panelists: Dr. Sunil Sinha, Virginia Tech; Zonetta E. English, Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District; Michael Thompson, The MITRE Corporation; and Dr. Zdenko (Cello) Vitasovic, 9D Analytics
Topic: Cybersecurity & Interoperability
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
November 9, 2022
Moderator: Max Herzog, Cleveland Water Alliance
Panelists: Constance Haqq, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District; Ian Robinson, BlueConduit; and Letitia Carpenter, US Water Alliance
Topic: Smart Water Equity: Data-Enabled Affordability and Justice
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
September 19, 2022
Moderator: Julianne Jones, Water Environment Federation
Panelists: Amanda Hering, Baylor University; D. Andrew Ferguson, Argonaut; Nicholas Passarelli, DC Water; and Laureline Josset, Columbia University
Topic: Water Education: STEM, Youth Empowerment, and Workforce Development
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
July 28, 2022
Moderator: John Bilotta, Water Resources Center, University of Minnesota
Panelists: Donna Friedman, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District; Lilit Yeghiazarian, University of Cincinnati; and Joseph Wartman, University of Washington
Topic: Smart Stormwater: Data-Driven Response to Flooding, Erosion, and other Natural Hazards
Host: Laura Rankin | Cleveland Water Alliance Content Marketing Specialist
May 31, 2022
Moderator: Elkin Hernandez, DC Water
Panelists: Zdenko (Cello) Vitasovic, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; and Scott Parker, KC Water (Kansas City, MO)
Topic: People, Process, and Technology for Understanding the Value-Based Path to Improved Performance
Host: Felicia Oentoro | Cleveland Water Alliance Project Coordinator
March 30, 2022
Moderator: Max Herzog, Cleveland Water Alliance
Panelists: Ting Lu, Clean Water Services, OR; Adam Hobson, In-Situ, IN; and Ed Verhamme, LimnoTech, MI
Topic: Innovations in Water Quality: The Real-Time Revolution
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
October 26, 2021
Moderators: Jeremy Boren, GrayMatter; and Elkin Hernandez, DC Water
Panelists: Nina Kshetry, Ensaras, Inc.; and Kemell Kassim, GrayMatter
Topic: Finger on the Pulse: Next-Generation Asset Health Monitoring for Smart Utilities
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
September 30, 2021
Moderator: Max Herzog, Cleveland Water Alliance
Panelists: Barb Horn, Barb Horn LLC; Brandon P. Wong, Hyfi; Mark App, Great Lakes Data Watershed; and Whitnye Long Jones, Organic Connects
Topic: Open Watersheds: Innovations in Community Water Data
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
August 11, 2021
Moderator: Anthony Aufdenkampe, LimnoTech
Panelists: Anthony Castronova, Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI); Dwayne Young, EPA Office of Water; Peter Colohan, Duke University; and R. John Dawes, Chesapeake Commons
Topic: Realizing Interoperable Water Data Across Sectors
Host: Samantha Martin | Cleveland Water Alliance Communications Manager
July 22, 2021
Moderator: Elkin Hernandez, DC Water
Panelists: Pablo Calabuig, GoAigua, Inc.; Tim J. Sutherns, Eramosa Engineering, Inc.; and Prabhushankar Chandrasekeran, Stantec
Topic: Managing Your Pipes: Data-Driven Distribution Network Optimization
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
June 29, 2021
Moderator: Dr. Frank E. Muller-Karger, Marine Biodiversity Observation Network
Panelists: Dr. Steven Greb, GEO AquaWatch; Dr. Kate Fickas, Utah Department of Environmental Protection and Utah State University; Dr. Leif Olmanson, University of Minnesota; and Dr. Christine Lee, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Topic: Innovations in Remote Sensing for Water Quality
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
May 12, 2021
Moderator: Elkin Hernandez, DC Water
Panelists: Mark Montgomery, Cyberspace Solarium Commission; David Travers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Jim McCarthy, National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Michael Arceneaux, Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC)
Topic: Driving Digital Security Across the Water Sector
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
April 20, 2021
Moderator: Dr. Derek Kauneckis, Desert Research Institute
Panelists: Dr. Grace Wilson, University of Minnesota; Dr. Chris Jones, The University of Iowa; Dr. David Mulla, University of Minnesota; and Dr. Brent Dalzell, USDA-ARS
Topic: Cultivating Regional Resilience: Water, Data, and Climate Challenges at Scale
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
March 15, 2021
Moderator: SeMia Bray, Cray Consulting Group, Inc.
Panelists: Eric Schwartz, Blue Conduit; Dr. Christine Boyle, Xylem, Inc.; Greg Landel, CityTaps; and Letitia Carpenter, US Water Alliance
Topic: Smart Water Equity: Big Data for Environmental Justice
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
February 16, 2021
Moderator: Elkin Hernandez, DC Water
Panelists: Theresa Bruton, DC Water; Jim Cooper, Arcadis; Guy Meiri, IOSight; Dr. Sunil Sinha, Virginia Tech; and Tim Sutherns, Eramosa
Topic: Data-Driven Asset Management: Efficiency and Risk Reduction for Smart Utilities
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager
January 19, 2021
Moderator: Rebekah Eggers, IBM Global Markets, Energy, Environment & Utilities
Panelists: Alex Margevicius, Cleveland Water, City of Cleveland; Mason Hall, Fortune Brands Global Plumbing Group (Moen); and Blake Oatey, Oatey Company
Topic: Smart Water for the Smart Home
Host: Max Herzog | Cleveland Water Alliance Program Manager