The challenges facing freshwater systems from mountains to the sea require a well-prepared workforce equipped with interdisciplinary knowledge, technical expertise, and collaborative experience. The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) plays a critical role in fostering the next generation of water professionals through education, research support, and workforce development initiatives. Grounded in the Communities of Practice framework (Lave & Wenger, 1998), CUAHSI builds capacity by providing discovery grants, infrastructure, training, and collaborative research opportunities that empower students and early-career professionals to contribute to solving water challenges.
Through competitive grants such as the Pathfinder Fellowship and the Hydroinformatics Innovation Fellowship, CUAHSI supports early-career researchers in expanding their professional networks and technical expertise. Infrastructure investments like HydroShare facilitate open science and collaborative research, while methods training, including the Snow Measurement Field School, exposes students to cutting-edge hydrologic techniques. Additionally, CUAHSI’s collaborative programs, such as the National Water Center Innovators Program Summer Institute and the Critical Zone Collaborative Network REU, immerse students in applied, team-based research environments.
By acting as a signpost within the hydrologic community, CUAHSI provides essential resources—including cyberseminars, a job board, and cross-institutional coursework through the CUAHSI Virtual University—that help early-career scientists navigate an increasingly complex research landscape. This presentation will demonstrate how CUAHSI’s programs align with social learning theories to cultivate a thriving, well-connected water research community, ultimately preparing professionals to tackle freshwater challenges across diverse ecosystems.