For the past 36 years, the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown and the Rotary Club of Martinsburg, West Virginia have hosted the World Affairs Seminar to inspire critical thinking and informed dialogue among high school students on topics of pressing global and local significance. This annual seminar provides students with the opportunity to explore interconnected challenges, equipping them to engage as active citizens and future problem-solvers.
Water Security: Local, National, & Global Perspectives
Storer Ballroom, Shepherd University
Thursday, October 24
8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Context
Water security is a critical issue of the 21st century as communities worldwide face the impacts of climate change, population growth, industrial development, and pollution. These challenges appear in many forms—too little water during droughts, too much in floods, and unsafe water for consumption or ecosystems. They affect not only distant regions but also local communities, including West Virginia.
This year’s seminar, Water Security: Local, National, and Global Perspectives, explores how water challenges cross borders and demand collaborative solutions. From addressing the climate-water connection to examining contaminants like PFAS, the seminar helps students grasp the importance of water security while identifying ways to foster solutions within their own communities.
Seminar Objectives
The primary objectives of the seminar are:
- To increase awareness and understanding of water security as a complex issue affecting environmental, social, and economic dimensions at local, national, and global levels.
- To engage students in critical conversations about the role of climate action in water security and the responsibility of individuals, communities, and governments in ensuring access to clean water.
- To foster problem-solving skills by examining regional challenges, such as those specific to West Virginia, and inspiring students to think creatively about solutions to water-related problems in their own context.
Approach
The seminar features four expert speakers offering diverse perspectives on water security—covering global challenges, the link between climate action and water policy, local issues in West Virginia, and PFAS contamination. After the presentations, students will participate in guided discussions, fostering collaboration and critical thinking. This approach ensures students gain both knowledge and actionable insights, empowering them to drive change in their communities.
By combining expert insights, interactive discussions, and student engagement, the seminar reflects the Rotary Club’s commitment to promoting education and global citizenship through meaningful dialogue on critical issues.
Seminar Agenda
Arrival and Snacks
8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Welcome
8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.
Dr. Robert Tudor, Provost
Shepherd University
Overview & Logistics
8:40 – 8:45 a.m.
Bill Howard, Executive Director
The Downstream Project
Rotarian & Moderator
Session 1
8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Presentations
Too little, Too Much, Too Dirty: Improving Water Security
Around the World in the Age of Climate Change
Gabriel Sidman, Climate Change Specialist
World Bank Group
Changes in the climate are altering the water security of people all over the world. In some areas, people have too little water, as droughts are growing more frequent and intense. In others, too much water is the problem, as damaging floods become more common. This presentation explores how the World Bank is supporting people in developing countries around the world to enhance their water security while also creating resilience to climate shocks. The presentation will explore how a focus on resilience has changed how the World Bank approaches development, including designing resilient water infrastructure like potable water systems, irrigation and wastewater treatment while also promoting low emissions growth.
Climate Solutions Are Water Solutions:
Blending Water into Climate Action
Dr. John Matthews, Executive Director
Alliance for Global Water Adaptation
Climate change is one of the most important drivers of global change now, and its strength will continue to grow and accelerate in coming decades. Do we fight climate change, or learn to live with it? We’re seeing a lot of innovation in response in how we both slow the speed of climate change and prepare for the coming impacts, including new and surprising ones. Many people who work in the climate community are coming to realize that most of their problems and hazards are water-related, and most of their solutions are also water-centric. Resilience in particular is a new idea and approach, one that youth and young professionals can help shape and drive.
Water Security in West Virginia:
Challenges & Opportunities for the Mountain State
Dr. Nathaniel Hitt, Senior Scientist
West Virginia Rivers Coalition
Water security is vital for many aspects of public health, environmental conservation, and economic development. In West Virginia, we face numerous challenges due to land use practices and industrial contamination, but our streams and rivers also provide high-quality water from forested landscapes that serve as drinking water for millions of Americans downstream. The next generation of water managers requires an integrated understanding of geology, hydrology, contaminant risks, and climate change to develop robust water security plans in the Mountain State and elsewhere.
How Long is Forever?
PFAS Contamination in the State of West Virginia
Maria Russo, Clean Water Campaign
West Virginia Rivers Coalition
In recent years, water sampling efforts have shown that West Virginia waters are contaminated with varying levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” do not break down in natural conditions and are toxic at very low levels, posing a risk to public and ecological health. Join Maria Russo from West Virginia Rivers Coalition to hear about tracking levels of PFAS contamination around the state, legislative solutions, and how you can get involved to protect the health of your community!
Session 2
10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Panel Discussion and Q & A
Lunch
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Session 3
12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Breakout Group Discussion
How do you think your experience with water (the way you use and access water) is different than the experiences of people in other countries?
What changes are expected for water supplies to West Virginia communities over the next 25 years, and what can water managers do to improve water security?
What would a comprehensive PFAS Action Plan include, in order to address this issue?
Think about your future — where you want to live, what you might want to study, what kind of work you might want to pursue. How might resilience need to be incorporated into your life, personal and professional, in the future?
To Be Considered by All Groups
What are some ideas and initiatives which can be undertaken following this World Affairs Seminar ?
Session 4
12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Breakout Session Summaries
Conclusions and Follow-Up
Take-Home Messages and Opportunities for Further Engagement
