This conference will offer a forum for water experts in the fields of design, engineering, natural and social sciences to identify not only specific disciplinary methodologies, but also areas of applied and theoretical intersections with respect to water scarcity in arid regions. These investigations will be discussed in context of varying technical and sociopolitical dimensions of water scarcity.

Twenty-two established and emergent designers, scholars and scientists will be brought together to evaluate currently-implemented solution with regard to their efficiency and geographic relevance.

The disciplines represented in this conference include environmental law and water policy, public health, agronomy, hydrology, geography, building science, business strategies, civil engineering, landscape architecture, architecture and urban design.

There are numerous factors that cause water scarcity worldwide, including climatological, environmental and anthropogenic factors such as over-consumption, failing infrastructure, unsustainable agricultural practices and contamination. The challenges posed by water scarcity are currently most acute in arid and underdeveloped regions. Research in these regions should prove to be relevant to those interested in the role that water will come to play in shaping our built environments and our political and economic arenas. In fact, water issues will likely come to play an increasingly important role in instigating academic and professional collaborations and fostering meaningful political dialogues.