Fargo, N.D. — Papia F. Rozario, doctoral student in the environmental and conservation science program, received the best student poster award and a $500 stipend for her research presentation, “Impact of Forest Cover Dynamics on Water Quality of Missouri Watershed Region,” at the 14th World Lake Conference, Oct. 31-Nov. 4 in Austin, Texas.

River Systems Institute based at Texas State University and the International Lake Environment Committee Foundation organized the conference.

The first World Lake Conference was held in 1984 at Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Since then, it has been held biennially in wide-ranging locations, including the United States, Hungary, China, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Denmark, Kenya and India. Established in 1986 as an international non-governmental organization collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Lake Environment Committee worked with host organizations in these countries and promoted scientific approaches in lake basin management, particularly for improving the state of lake environments in developing countries. Project agencies/organizations involved with the conference include Global Environment Facility, International Lake Environment Committee Foundation, LakeNet, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Shiga Prefectural Government, United Nations Development Programme, The World Bank and U.S. Agency for International Development.

Rozario’s research paper also will be published in the International Lake Environment Committee Foundation’s  peer-reviewed journal, “Lakes and Reservoirs: Research and Management.” She co-wrote the paper with her adviser Peter G. Oduor, associate professor of geosciences at NDSU, and Larry Kotchman, North Dakota State Forester.