Prof. Sritharan, Ph. D.
About the Center
THE MISSION
The International Center for Water Resources Management at Central State University was formally created by the State of Ohio by H. B. 171 in 1987. The law stipulated that the Center shall develop methods to ..”improve the management of water resources of Ohio and emerging nations” (Ohio Revised Code: 1987 Legislation, Page 504). This mission is directly linked to that of the University in offering programs with multi-cultural and global perspectives with particular emphasis on African and African American cultures; collaborating with other educational institutions, business organizations and government agencies to enrich learning experiences and educational opportunities for students; and in providing quality educational programs in the scientific technical fields where minorities have been traditionally underrepresented.
THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AT THE CENTER
The Center now contains four academic programs that are interrelated – environmental engineering (ENE), water resources management (WRM), geology (GEL) and earth science (ESC). Students obtain baccalaureate degrees in these fields. It is now possible also to obtain a minor in water resources management. With these programs of study, the Center is the focal point for environmental related studies at Central State University. The Center offers an interdisciplinary minor in environmental science in cooperation with the Department of Natural Sciences (NSC).
Internally, the ICWRM is under Dean of the College of Business and Industry and works closely with the Manufacturing Engineering (MFE) and the Department of Natural Sciences (NSC) in research, course offerings and in the general development of the University. The program offerings at the ICWRM take advantage of related curricular strengths available at Central State. Central State University bears the distinction of offering the first ever undergraduate program in interdisciplinary water resources management in the United States. It is also the only Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Institution to have an undergraduate program in water resources management.
