Global Water Crisis? Prospects, Directions and Science Needs for Sustainability Major rivers that no longer consistently flow to the ocean. Hundreds of meters of decline in fossil groundwater sources in some of the Earth’s largest and most productive aquifers. Contamination and pollution of some of the world’s most prized water bodies. These are the result of the same pressures driving climate change and unsustainable energy consumption, says Upmanu Lall, Alan and Carol Silberstein Professor of Engineering at Columbia University. “The exponential growth in human population and the resulting per-capita demand on resources are straining the quality and quantity of fresh water supplies around the world,” Lall says. He adds that, unlike research on climate change, research on global hydrologic change has been more fragmented, resulting in limited data and relatively low visibility. Lall will examine the many stresses on fresh water resources and lay out a research agenda to assess and mitigate global hydrologic changes. (Javascript is required to view Mediasite content)