Joan Rose, Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research.

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One of the goals set by Joan Rose, the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research, is to help Michigan State University become the state’s center for water science and technology. And, with the help of the U.S. government, MSU could meet her expectations.

President Barack Obama has earmarked $475 million in the 2010 federal budget for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which will target problems such as invasive aquatic species, non-point source pollution and contaminated sediment.

Coupled with the $550 million Great Lakes programs already have received, it could mean $1 billion for restoration projects next year.

“For almost all the priority list of things, we have a scientist here at Michigan State working on,” Rose said. “We could become the hub for water science and technology and entrepreneurship right here at MSU, leading the state — you know really toward new economic view of where we’ll be in the future.”

MSU’s approach to solving the problems in the Great Lakes is to involve different departments to share and cultivate ideas.

“It’s several hundred faculty that are involved in water science and policy work,” Rose said.

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