A new, industry-supported master’s degree program has been initiated at the UA by hydrology professor Ty Ferré. The program has received enthusiastic support from industry leaders, who have asked the AHS Foundation to administer donations for the program.
About the Program
The goal of the program is to fast-track students to corporate jobs and ease the shortage of working professional hydrologists. This will be accomplished through a new intensive and integrated 1-year degree program in applied subsurface hydrology. It is hoped that the first group of students might be enrolled as early as 2025.
You can learn more about the program at the upcoming Tucson and Phoenix chapter meetings, where Dr. Ferré will be speaking in February.
Industry Support
Hale Barter (Montgomery & Associates) and Mike Milczarek (GeoSystems Analysis) worked throughout 2023 with Dr. Ferré to develop a startup plan and secure initial funding for the program. Annual commitments from industry currently total $70,000/year for 5 years to establish the program and $200,000 for a long-term endowment to support it into the future. These donations confirm the industry’s widespread support for this program. Supporters include Resolution Copper / Rio Tinto, SRP, Montgomery & Associates, Piteau Associates, GeoSystems Analysis, INTERA, and HydroGeoChem.
AHS Foundation Activity
After considerable accounting review, legal review, and professional advice in early 2023, the AHSF corporate board determined that the program fits its mission and goals and that it is well within legal and accounting restrictions of its nonprofit IRS status. The board also saw a long-term opportunity to support an important new educational program. In December, the board approved AHSF’s participation. New accounts were set up to ensure that the program does not mix or interfere with our long-running student awards program. In addition, an advisory committee of three industry and three AHSF representatives was created to interface with Dr. Ferré, streamline the degree’s financial support, ensure due diligence to the donors, and lessen the burden of this program on the AHSF board. The committee’s kick-off meeting was held on November 15; as of 2024, the program is in full swing.