Hope College Global Water Research Institute

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 18 from 11am–3pm for ODC Network’s annual Macatawa Water Festival at Kollen Park!
This FREE community event invites families to explore the Macatawa Watershed through hands-on activities including kayaking, biking, live animal encounters, games, crafts, and more hosted by local partners. Join us as we celebrate watershed health, outdoor learning, and community connection.

Happy Earth Day from here at the Global Water Research Institute! Here, we’re focused on the small and big ways we can steward our planet’s water resources, protecting this earth and its communities for years to come💧

Water conservation doesn’t always start with pipes and infrastructure; it can begin right in our backyards.
By replacing traditional turf grass with native plants, we can significantly reduce outdoor water use, ease demand on our local drinking water system, and help keep rates affordable for the entire community. It’s a simple shift with a meaningful impact!
This Tuesday, April 21, at 6:30 PM, join us to learn how native landscaping supports long-term water sustainability and discover practical ways to make a difference at home.
🌱 Bonus for Holland Board of Public Works customers: attendees will receive a coupon for one free native plant from the spring native plant sale.

A huge thankyou to all who participated in this year’s Celebration of Undergraduate Research here at Hope College! Students were able to share their projects here at the Global Water Research Institute. This year, 18 projects were awarded blue ribbons for their connection to water centered research, which has the ability to transform the health and well-being of local, regional and global communities!🥼💧

Every year at CURCA, the Global Water Research Institute recognizes research projects across multiple departments that meet one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This year, 18 projects are represented! 🥳
Stop by between 2:30 and 5 this Friday, April 17th, 2026 to see the amazing work our students are doing!

Hear from Dr. Michael Philben this Friday at 2pm as he presents on his ongoing project investigating Michigan Peatlands as a part of the Global Water Research Institute!

Research isn’t just about data; it’s about people. This , we’re highlighting how access to clean water is a critical enabler of gender equality! Here at GWRI, we are to providing the insights needed to transform the health and wellbeing of local, regional, and global communities, so that where water flows, equality grows.💧

Thank you so much to Dr. Kartik Chandran for his presentation at this year’s World Water Day at Hope College, and to all students and local organizations present to highlight their work!💧
We hope to see you tomorrow, Friday at 3pm as Dr. Chandran highlights the engineering and microbiological aspects of wastewater treatment!

Stop by Winants Auditorium this Friday at 3pm for this year’s World Water Day Interdisciplinary Lecture! We hope to see you there!

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s World Water Day showcase to hear from Columbia University’s Dr. Kartik Chandran on the reframing of challenges facing environmental science and engineering today. Plus, gain insights from student researchers and local organizations as they highlight their work!