TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Water Institute continues to support its affiliated faculty members and their research across The University of Alabama with new tools that expand capabilities in labs and in the field. Through its equipment support program, AWI recently provided funding to eight researchers for purchases that enhance water-related studies, accelerate data collection and analysis and train the next generation of scientists. In total, the program awarded $116,795.90 in equipment to advance UA’s leadership in water research and innovation.
Supporting Water Research Across Campus
From plant toxicology and river mapping to isotope analysis and materials performance in aquatic environments, the new equipment supports diverse scientific areas while uniting them under AWI’s mission to solve pressing water challenges in Alabama and beyond.
Dr. Amobichuwu C. Amanambu
Assistant professor, Department of Geography & the Environment
Equipment: SonTek M9 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)
Dr. Amobichuwu Amanambu was awarded $39,237 to support advanced hydrologic fieldwork through his Water Intelligence and Geospatial Sensing, or WINGS, Lab. The ADCP will generate high-resolution data on flow velocities and bathymetry, improving the precision of river system assessments and flood-forecasting models.
“AWI’s support will be transformative for our work in the WINGS Lab, with a focus on rivers, lakes and lagoons” Amanambu said. “It will let us rapidly map velocity, bathymetry and discharge across Alabama’s rivers, data that form the backbone of next-generation flood and drought forecasting. This investment trains students on state-of-the-art hydroacoustics and directly advances AWI’s mission to deliver actionable water science for Alabama and the Gulf region.”
Dr. Adam Hauser
Associate professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Equipment: Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) Furnace
Dr. Adam Hauser received $20,000 for a new VIM furnace that provides a unique opportunity to produce poured-cast test samples of structural materials for the groups of cyclic corrosion testing under real-time electrochemical characterization, stress corrosion cracking tests using salt water and salt fog and nanoscale in situ exposure testing via transmission electron microscopy.
“The vacuum induction melting and casting furnace will bring to UA the ability to cast alloys that are not able to be fabricated in air, at scales and shapes compatible with conventional strength testing,” Hauser said. “The system will support research groups seeking to engineer high-strength materials with corrosion resistance to freshwater and saltwater, as well as low-temperature performance in aqueous environments.”
Dr. Steve Thomas
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Equipment: Precellys Evolution Benchtop Homogenizer
Dr. Steve Thomas was awarded $20,000 for a new benchtop homogenizer that will enhance precision in analyzing biological tissue, sediment and soil samples for carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen isotopes.
“The new Precellys Evolution is a state-of-the-art desktop homogenizer designed for efficient grinding and lysing of biological samples, ideal for stable isotope analysis, DNA extraction and sequencing,” Thomas said. “By enabling the simultaneous processing of numerous samples, it significantly reduces turnaround times and enhances our capacity to characterize aquatic biodiversity and understand the ecological processes that influence freshwater ecosystem health.”
Dr. Katrina M. Ramonell
Associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Equipment: SC-1 Leaf Porometer, MC-100 Chlorophyll Concentration Meter, DLI-500 Full Spectrum Quantum Sensor and VWR ULT-80 Freezer
Dr. Katrina Ramonell received $14,337.90 for new instruments that will support innovative, water-centric plant biology and toxicology research. Her team is using these tools to study how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, affect crops and water systems across Alabama.
“With support from AWI, my lab is using new equipment to study how PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals,’ affect crops and water systems in the state,” Ramonell said. “These tools help us track how PFAS move through plants and develop models that guide safer farming practices. This investment advances AWI’s mission to protect water resources and promote sustainable agriculture in our state.”
Dr. Rebecca L. Totten
Associate professor, Department of Geological Sciences
Equipment: Radiation Solutions Gamma Ray-Spectrometer RS-230 and CoreLabs Portable Probe Permeameter PPP-250
Dr. Rebecca Totten was awarded $12,000 to help purchase core analysis equipment that enhances research on subsurface water movement. This equipment will support a portfolio of water observation technologies, as well as several CONSERVE Research Group initiatives, including the Lounsberry Foundation past ecologies project, ecosystem identification projects and U.S. Department of Energy work.
“The permeameter is transformative to our research because it will allow AWI researchers to measure effective permeability in rock, sediment and soil samples,” said Totten, CONSERVE Faculty Fellow. “These data will improve water models and subsurface resource characterization.”
Dr. Matthew Therrell
Professor, Department of Geography and the Environment
Equipment: Canon imagePROGRAF GP-6600S 60-inch Large Format Printer
Dr. Matthew Therrell received $10,186 for a new printer to support a range of research and outreach efforts, from stakeholder workshops to watershed education.
“This printer will support research and planning in areas such as ecosystem restoration, flood-risk perception, watershed planning and conservation education,” Therrell said. “Typical applications include stakeholder workshops where decision variables can be demonstrated during iterative planning; teaching in courses such as natural hazards, natural resource planning and watershed management; and K-12 outreach in watershed education.”
Dr. Michael McKain
Associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences
Equipment: Phytotronics Mist and Watering Kit
Dr. Michael McKain was awarded $660 for a new mist and watering kit that supports ongoing rivercane restoration research through CONSERVE. Rivercane serves as a natural filter that improves water quality, while restoring vital habitats for local ecosystems.
“The misting bench will make our propagation efforts more efficient during the vulnerable stages of plant development as we scale up rivercane resources,” said McKain, CONSERVE director of future ecologies. “Ultimately, we’ll help restore ecological services by putting the needs of diverse stakeholders, including our tribal partners, at the forefront of efforts to improve watershed health.”
Dr. Glenn Tootle
Professor, Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering
Equipment: Tree Core Reader
Dr. Glenn Tootle’s received $375 for a tree core reader that will aid hydrologic reconstruction research by allowing students and researchers to study tree rings and correlate them with precipitation and streamflow data.
“The field microscope supports AWI’s NSF Water-R2O NRT program by allowing fellows to examine tree cores and determine hydrologic variability for pre-instrumental periods,” Tootle said. “This knowledge lets water managers extend and reconstruct instrumental records into the past, providing insight on droughts and wet periods that historical observations may miss.”
About the AWI Equipment Support Program
Since launching the AWI equipment support program, the institute has expanded research capacity across more than a dozen UA departments, empowering faculty, students and partners to develop real-world solutions for the state’s most pressing water challenges. Each new instrument represents an investment not only in discovery, but also in the collaborative infrastructure that makes UA a national leader in water science.
For more information about AWI support programs and application deadlines, contact Stefanie O’Neill at soneill2@ua.edu.