01.01.70

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — An amount of freshwater almost the size of the Dead Sea has been lost in parts of the Middle East due to poor management, increased demands for groundwater and the effects of a 2007 drought, according to a NASA study.

The study, to be published Friday in Water Resources Research, a journal of the American Geophysical Union , examined data over seven years from 2003 from a pair of gravity-measuring satellites which is part of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment or GRACE. Researchers found freshwater reserves in parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran along the Tigris and Euphrates river basins had lost 117 million acre feet (144 cubic kilometers) of its total stored freshwater, the second fastest loss of groundwater storage loss after India.

Source: San Antonio Express

by The Leakey Star

Submitted by Beth Manglberger

Two students from Leakey High School competed at the Alamo Regional Academy of Science and Engineering at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio on March 4-6, 2012. Keena Auld and Ethan Blackman represented their school very well and will both be advancing to the state level competition at the Exxon Mobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio on March30-April 1, 2012. Keena placed 1st in the category of Behavioral Science and received special recognition from the American Psychological Association. Ethan placed 2nd in the category of Botany, received a special award from the Native Plant Society, and also received a 500/year scholarship from the Plant and Soil Science Department of Texas Tech University.

ARASE was founded in 1956 by Sister Joseph Marie Armer of Incarnate Word College, now the University of the Incarnate Word, in San Antonio, Texas. For FIFTY years ARASE has been encouraging students to present their scientific research to the public at our annual Science and Engineering Fair. Students utilize the scientific process in conducting an experiment and defending the results before members of the scientific community. Parents and Educators experience the satisfaction of mentoring students as they explore new challenges. The ARASE competition covers thirty-two surrounding counties with over 700 students in grades six through twelve choosing from fourteen different categories in which to compete at the regional science fair.

Source: LISD Student Scientists Succeed at Regionals : The New Leakey ...

Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMediaCom

Media Contact: Frank Raczkiewicz , (254) 710-1964

Waco, Texas (April 11, 2012) - Zack Valdez, doctoral candidate in The Institute of Ecological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (TIE3S) at Baylor University, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate research fellowship in the geosciences.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recognizes outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based graduate degrees. GRFP fellows receive three years of support, a $30,000 annual stipend, a $10,500 cost-of-education allowance to the institution, international research opportunities and TeraGrid Supercomputer access.

"After the initial excitement, I realized what an honor and how blessed I was to be chosen for such a prestigious award," Valdez said. "After speaking with different professors and my adviser about the...

Read more...