WSSS Research Areas

Water, Climate, and Environmental Change
Impacts of climate change on water resources in metropolitan and rural areas and adaptation strategies; integrated assessment modeling; and effects of precipitation and streamflow changes on food production, and human and animal health in the developing world.

Water and Public Health
Links between waterborne diseases and water quality characteristics and the effects of climate variability and change; delineation of relationships among watershed ecosystems, animal life and human health; and integrative system-wide studies in developed and developing countries.

Watershed Restoration and Management
Development of models, monitoring methods, and decision support system tools to facilitate assessment, management, and restoration of brown fields, watersheds, wetlands, and rivers in industrialized and developing nations.

Water, Food and Livelihood Security
Focus on how water availability, access, and use affect agricultural production, other income-generating activities, and household food and livelihood security in developing countries, uses of seasonal climate forecasting, water issues in famine relief.

Water and National and International Security
An emerging area of research that includes technology monitoring, smart sensor development, managing vulnerable populations and infrastructure, and responses of social and governance systems to threats on water quality, supply and distribution.

Core Courses

Systems Analysis
Basics of system evaluation, optimization modeling, statistical analysis, simulation modeling, decision analysis, risk assessment, multi-criteria analysis, and the development of indicators and metrics for analyzing problems.

Water Science and Engineering
Scientific and engineering principles required to understand and solve problems related to water quality and supply. Topics include hydrology, hydraulics, water resources and environmental engineering, contaminant fate and transport, water management.

Biological Aspects of Water, Health and Nutrition
Identification and classification of water-borne health related contaminants, demonstration of how contaminants are detected, and critical assessment of the appropriateness of specific interventions in ameliorating impacts of these agents. Also includes pathophysiology and epidemiology of selected human diseases and roles of adequate hydration in ensuring viable nutrition.

Water Resources Planning and Policy
Exploring the roles of planning and policy in managing and protecting water resources. Topics include institutions, regulations, economics, social impact assessment, ethics, and the principles and practice of integrated water resources management.

Additional Program Elements

In addition to the four core course requirements for the WSSS program, students will participate in the following integrative activities:

• Seminar
• Field Internships
• Skill Workshops
• Interdisciplinary Research

Application Process

• Applicants sought from a variety of graduate and undergraduate degree programs.
• Applications are submitted to participating departments and students specify their interest in WSSS. Students receive their degree from the participating department.
• Application forms available online at: www.tufts.edu/source/gradprog.html

WSSS
A partnership among:
Tufts School of Arts and Sciences
Tufts School of Engineering
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Tufts Medical School
The Friedman School of Nutrition
Science and Policy &
Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine

For More Information Contact:

WSSS Faculty - Research Areas

Email FirstName.LastName@tufts.edu *School Coordinator