California WaterBlog is a long-running outreach project from the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, a research center dedicated to interdisciplinary study of water challenges, particularly in California. We focus on environmentally and economically sustainable solutions for managing rivers, lakes, groundwater, and estuaries. This week, for UC Davis Give Day (April 11-12), we have a matching gift challenge from emeritus Director (and current Vice Director) Jay Lund.
The Center’s team of Professional Researchers and faculty pursue funded projects that employ many students, post docs, and specialists for a wide array impactful research. We also offer physical, intellectual, and institutional space for faculty and students in departments across campus who do interdisciplinary work at UC Davis, across the UC system, and with research organizations around the world. The Center’s work is intentionally problem-focused and immediately relevant, pointing to better ways to manage water, species, and habitat in California and beyond. Our research is nonpartisan and focused on good science and promising solutions, not “convenient answers”. For more information, see our research webpage.
This year, for Give Day, we have a challenge gift from Jay Lund, distinguished professor of civil engineering, and his wife, Jean Lund. They have endowed an $800,000 Lund Water Management Dissertation Fellowship. It is the largest gift in the center’s history and will encourage interdisciplinary water management research in student dissertations. The fellowship enables students to pursue their own interests and think creatively to solve problems, without the barrier of financial limitations.
“Often, students who end up changing the field have ideas that are more novel than what typical funding sources support,” Jay said. “This type of funding allows students to develop intellectually on topics of their own selection.”
This year’s challenge requires 15 donations (of any amount, $5 minimum) by the end of the day on April 12 to unlock a $134,800 gift. To support our students and unlock this gift, please donate here!
Updated 4/12/2025 at 6:00 PM:
A heartfelt thank you to all our generous donors and friends of Watershed! With your incredible support, we’ve reached our goal of 15 donations — unlocking the $134,800 challenge gift!
If you’d like to continue supporting the Center for Watershed Sciences, you can still donate to the Lund Water Management Dissertation Fellowship fund here, or contribute to our General Fund, which supports outreach initiatives, advances diversity, equity, and inclusion in watershed sciences, develops special projects, and funds symposia that foster collaboration, innovation, and meaningful change within our community. Additional funds to support may also be found here.
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