Visit from the partner university at TU

From August 2-3, Prof. Dr. Saugata Datta from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) visited the TU Darmstadt. He is the director of the “Institute of Water Research Sustainability and Policy (IWRSP)” at the UTSA. This research institute features a wide array of research areas and does research on topics such as Water Quality and Infectious Diseases related to it, and (sustainable) Water Management, looking also at political, societal, and geographic impacts and dimensions.

During the two-day meeting, Prof. Datta gained an in-depth insight into the research field of water and the IWAR Institute at TU Darmstadt. The meeting was led by Prof. Dr. Christoph Schüth, Vice Dean of the Institute of Applied Geosciences and Head of the Department of Hydrogeology, and Prof. Dr. Holger Lutze, Head of the Department of Environmental Analysis and Pollutant. In his capacity as head of the main committee “Scientific Principles and Application” of the Water Chemistry Society (an expert working group) Prof. Lutze introduced the research activities of the institute.

Discussions also centered on identifying research topics of mutual interest and exploring possible collaborative projects. In this vein, Prof. Dr. Britta Schmalz, Head of the Department of Engineering Hydrology and Water Management, presented her research field of engineering hydrology and water management, and there was a subsequent discussion on potential links to the research areas of the UTSA.

Besides the subject-specific talks, the agenda also included a presentation about the already existing cooperation activities between TU Darmstadt and UTSA. Dr. Cyntia Sandes Oliveira and Julia Fitzthum from the International Relations Overseas unit took part in the event.

A half-day excursion to the Rhine water treatment and infiltration facility in Biebesheim and a summer dinner at the Ratskeller in Darmstadt were also part of the program.