For many, being knowledgeable about water issues is a necessity for residents of Las Vegas or any other city in the West.

In an effort to introduce more young people to STEM careers – particularly those that help conserve water resources in the West – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Tuesday that it has awarded the Desert Research Institute a $1 million grant to develop a new curriculum.

In collaboration with the Southern Nevada and Truckee Meadows water authorities, the institute will develop a theme-based, three-year program aimed at sixth- through 12th-grade students. It will be available digitally and aims to expand water literacy beyond the Silver State’s borders, the researchers said in a statement.

“The EPA grant is a significant step forward in enhancing our state’s educational resources and preparing our students for important careers in water management,” Patricia Charlton, interim chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, said in a statement. “The work being done here in Nevada can serve as a model for the rest of the country.”

Training teachers on Nevada’s water management is also part of the program. The institute will provide a variety of professional development opportunities for educators to help them better understand the curriculum and better integrate water-related teaching.

The overall goal is to find and train the next generation of leaders who will have to make difficult decisions about the future of Las Vegas and Nevada as a whole, which is inextricably linked to water, the researchers said. During the three years, the curriculum will be continually updated.

“Nevada has a unique water infrastructure thanks to our desert climate,” Shawna Witt, the institute’s STEM education coordinator, said in a statement. “By providing digital access to the curriculum, students across the country have the opportunity to learn from our innovative water management strategies and apply those lessons to their own local water challenges.”

Contact Alan Halaly at [email protected]. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.