BVU to Host Iowa Public Radio Panel on Water Quality in Iowa

STORM LAKE, IA (04/17/2018) (readMedia)-- Buena Vista University (BVU) is hosting a panel discussion and conversation on water quality in Iowa on Monday, April 23 at 6 p.m. The event will feature Iowa Public Radio (IPR) reporter and "Morning Edition" host Clay Masters, as well as four panelists from across the state.

Prior to the event, Masters will meet with BVU digital media students for questions and discussion. Specifically, Masters will share his background and role in radio journalism, as well as the steps that go into putting together panel discussions with experts from various backgrounds and interests.

BVU's Dr. Ben Maas, assistant professor of environmental science and geology, will provide introductory remarks and conversation about water quality in Storm Lake. The evening's discussion will be recorded for future broadcast on IPR.

Water quality has been a top priority this year in the Iowa legislature. In the shadows of the legislative session, the panel will convene scientific, environmental, and agricultural interests to discuss nutrient reduction strategy, progress in legislative solutions, and to open the floor to questions from the audience.

The event will be held in the Dows Event Center in the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business/Siebens Forum on the BVU campus. For those interested in attending, please RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/public-radio-on-tap-a-conversation-on-water-quality-tickets-45146087162. The panel discussion is free and open to the public.

The panelists include:

• Dr. Tom Isenhart, Iowa State University (ISU). Tom is a co-leader of the Science Team at ISU that developed the Science Assessment for the Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

• Art Cullen, editor at The Storm Lake Times. Cullen won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial writing last year for "challenging powerful agricultural interests in Iowa."

• Dr. Mary Skopec, executive director of Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. Skopec is based in Spirit Lake and comes to the University of Iowa from DNR where she has held several positions within the Watershed Monitoring and Assessment Section.

• Adam Kiel, Iowa Soybean Association. Kiel is operations manager with Iowa Soybeans' Environmental Programs and Services team and works with farmers across the state in implementing water quality practices on their land.

About Buena Vista University

Since 1891, Buena Vista University has prepared students for lifelong success and blends liberal arts with real-world applications. Our traditional campus on the shores of Storm Lake hosts students in a variety of majors and pre-professional programs, including elementary, secondary, and special education; business and accounting; and biological and chemical sciences. Our 16 degree-completion locations, online, and graduate programs expand student potential with a pace and academic rigor designed for working adults and a variety of class formats that make scheduling even more convenient. With an average scholarship of more than 50 percent off of tuition, BVU is an affordable option for all students. Visit www.bvu.edu.

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