I'm in the middle of a pleasant task: reviewing graduate student applications for the Fall 2011 term. It always takes me a while to get into this each year, but once I finally do, it's a real pleasant revelation. I can advise MS and PhD students in the following programs: geography, geology, water resources science, water resources engineering, and water resources policy and management. Talk about a child in a candy store!
I see a lot of remarkable students' applications come across my screen. Not only are they terribly bright and creative, but also an increasing number want to pursue hydrophilanthropy - making the world a better place by helping those less fortunate through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH). Those are the students I want to engage. I consider myself very fortunate to encounter such talent and compassion. I only wish I could support and advise them all!
It's funny. When I first became interested in hydrophilanthropy in the mid-1990s, I started encountering students who were interested in the same thing. I wondered where they had been lo those many years. Then it dawned on me: they had been there all along, but it's just that I had not been looking for them.
I came to the same realization about my own late arrival to hydrophilanthropy. Initially I wondered why I had not started doing this earlier in my life. Again, the light bulb came on: the opportunities had presented themselves but I had not been ready for them (another duhhh....). That's when I stopped worrying about 'woulda, shoulda, coulda...' and so-called 'lost years'. The only lost years potentially lay ahead of me, not behind.
Time now to return to 'work'. I can count my blessings later.
"The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding." -- Albert Camus, The Plague (quote from a student's application statement)
Really nice thoughts.
Posted by: John Bass | Thursday, 27 January 2011 at 11:49 PM
I recently submitted a PhD application for water policy and planning at a local UC. Looks like I should have sent an app up your way as well!
Posted by: Dan | Thursday, 27 January 2011 at 08:39 AM
HI I agree completely.
[email protected]. I would enjoy using my experience and contacts to some way assist in hydrophilanthropy.
Posted by: Joe Peeerson | Wednesday, 26 January 2011 at 06:33 AM