While UNC’s financial support is what made our recent R2 research institution designation a possibility, the researchers themselves are the ones to make it a reality. UNC is home to a robust body of faculty which are actively exploring a variety of subjects from costume design in cosplay, laser science, to impacts of climate change on the everyday person.
Dr. Meg du Bray is researching the last area as it pertains to water management in times of drought. Du Bray’s research has come to revolve around the subjects of ‘fire and water’ as she describes it. Using data to analyze these natural phenomena, du Bray aims to help communities respond better to their impacts. Du Bray’s water research is relevant to Coloradans because of the ongoing drought and pressure on the Colorado River to provide water for nearly 40 million people.
Du Bray seeks to address difficulties with deciding where to place aquifers, which can act as natural water reservoirs. Aquifers are an excellent option for containing and transporting water, but require specific soil and regional aspects to be effective.
The location of these aquifers has become an issue because it requires analyzing heaps of data and assessing impacts for each specific geologic situation. Since water managers must apply their skills to managing water, they do not have the time or resources to conduct this research. This is where researchers like Dr. du Bray come in. As a self-proclaimed nerd, Professor du Bray finds the task of data analysis exciting.
“I just love all of the questions that we can try to answer with data.” she said.
Professor du Bray works alongside a team to create an app that would allow water managers to easily look up regional information when trying to decide where aquifers would be best installed. This would streamline a laborious process that can help ensure that water sources, like the Colorado River, can continue to support the water needs of Americans in the west and beyond.
Another ongoing project of Professor du Bray’s is data collection and analysis for the Marshall Fire Unified Research Survey. After witnessing the smoke plumes coming from Boulder, Dr. du Bray knew she had to help.
“This was my backyard- I’m interested in helping in any way I can,” she said.
The survey is a collaboration between Colorado based scientists and the communities impacted by the 2021 wildfire. Per the Marshall Resilience website, their goal is to understand how to improve prevention and recovery from wildfires, by talking to the victims themselves. As a traumatic and life altering experience, collecting this kind of data requires sensitivity and an openness to others’ perspectives. Du Bray has found that her background as an anthropologist has allowed her to do exactly that and to understand the broader implications of natural disasters on communities.
Both of Professor du Bray’s research projects are ongoing and are perfect examples of the vital research taking place within UNC’s faculty and students. If you would like to hear Professor du Bray talk about her research in depth, stay tuned for the full podcast interview on Bear News platforms.
