Something to Chew On

Tackling complex water resource challenges through collaboration and community engagement

Water, the essence of life itself, stands as our most indispensable resource, yet often goes unappreciated. Water scarcity and sustainability pose formidable hurdles with far-reaching implications for communities, economies, and ecosystems. To navigate these challenges effectively, innovative research endeavors, advancements in agricultural technology, and collaborative partnerships across academic, governmental, and community sectors become imperative.

In this episode of Something to Chew On, we highlight the work of Dr. Susan Metzger, Director of Strategic Interdisciplinary Program Development, Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE), Kansas Water Institute, and Institute for Digital Agricultural and Advanced Analytics (ID3A) - Engagement. At the intersection of water resource management, agricultural productivity, and interdisciplinary academic research, Dr. Metzger offers evidence-based solutions for confronting the toughest water challenges of our time.

About the podcast

Our lives are frequently and significantly affected by food. Because we must eat to survive, many human cultures have developed with food at their very core. Through prosperous times and depression what we eat has influenced art, music, science, relationships, and more. In this fast-paced world, we often don’t take the time to consider how food gets to our plates, the importance of what and how that food is produced and the aesthetics of food requirements and food enjoyment. Often, seemingly obscure or unrelated aspects of life circle their way back to food.

The goal of this podcast is to explore the complexity and nuance of food systems, celebrate the progress we have made, and debate the best ways for humans to proceed forward into the future. Join our hosts Maureen Olewnik, Colene Lind, James Stack, Jeanette Thurston and others as they informally discuss these points with various contributors from Kansas State University and abroad.