In summer 2024, devastating flooding—driven in part by climate change—took an especially damaging toll on communities along the Mississippi River. Much of this flooding took place in the same areas that, less than a year ago, suffered from historically low water levels and drought. Water now consistently appears in public discourse. Join for a series of short presentations, plus a panel conversation, with water experts as we turn to the Mississippi River and ask: How can different approaches to caretaking shape policies, practices, and governance? How are researchers addressing water in their work towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals? Locally, the Mississippi River Resilience and Restoration Initiative seeks to coordinate efforts on conservation and environmental restoration along the entire corridor—what do projects like this mean for community resilience, collaboration, and more?

Featuring Shelley Buck (Owámniyomni Okhódayapi), Bonnie Keeler (University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs), and Katey Pelican (University of Minnesota, SPARC/Research and Innovation), moderated by Mark Ritchie, former Secretary of State of Minnesota.

SCHEDULE
9:30 a.m. Refreshments
10:00 a.m. Introductions & Individual Presentations
11:00 a.m. Break
11:15 a.m. Panel Discussion with Q&A
12:30 p.m. End

Image: Still image from the video 'The Uncompromising Hand' (2017) by Andrea Carlson. Image courtesy of the artist, via Open Rivers.