Bayfield High School graduate Carolyn Cummins was tabbed earlier this month to lead the Four Corners Water Center at Fort Lewis College.
Cummins, who has a background aquatic ecology, took over as the new director effective Aug. 1.
“As director, I am most excited to learn about the water-related goals and priorities of the Fort Lewis College community and those engaged in the water space throughout the Four Corners,” Cummins said in a Monday news release on Fort Lewis’ website. “I hope to use what I learn to build programs and initiatives that center those goals, prioritizing student engagement, experiential learning, and pathways to water careers for FLC students.”
Established in 2019, the school’s Four Corners Water Center focuses on developing “collaborative solutions” to overcome existing and future water challenges, informing students and the public about regional water issues and solutions, according to fourcornerswater.org.
The center’s goal is to create a pipeline of students who will become “lifelong stewards and future managers of our watersheds.” The center was recently restructured as part of FLC’s Office of Academic Affairs.
Cummins earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Colorado State University and her doctorate from the University of Georgia, researching the effects of temperature on carbon cycling and aquatic insects in headwater streams, the release said.
Cummins’ new role is a permanently funded position after faculty and the Presidential Advisory Budget Committee identified it is as a priority last spring, the release said.
“With our new Director, the center will continue its mission to provide educational and professional development for students in water-related fields, engage our community on critical water issues, and participate in cutting-edge water research and education throughout our region,” said FLC Provost Mario Martinez in the release.
mhollinshead@durangoherald.com
