Interdisciplinary Programs
Water Science and Policy
Welcome from our Interim Director
I am delighted to be appointed by the provost and the dean as the interim director of the University of Delaware Graduate College’s interdisciplinary program in water science and policy. Established in 2014 by authorization of the Faculty Senate, the program began as an experiment in multidimensional thinking and is the oldest interdisciplinary degree program housed in the Graduate College. We have awarded close to four dozen doctoral and master’s degrees over the last decade to students who come from all over Delaware, America and the world to study about water.
Interdisciplinary graduate programs have the benefit of flexibility by allowing the students, with their advising faculty, to design their own course curriculum and choose from the full depth and breadth of the colleges and departmental programs at our University. As the foundation of our planet’s environment and economy, water is found in all strands of society and therefore it's entirely appropriate that our graduate program in water science and policy have an interdisciplinary approach to thinking and learning. Because after all, isn't this our real mission here at UD: to take a broad-based approach to critical thinking and create new knowledge? That's exactly what water science and policy students have been doing here by researching and studying and then going on to get good jobs in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Our graduates are working on climate science in Spain, drought in California, the Puget Sound in Seattle, drinking water in New York City, water management in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and water treatment in Wilmington, Delaware. They are doing great things for society and before long, they become our next generation of leaders, which is reassuring to me in today’s world. So welcome to the interdisciplinary graduate program in water science and policy. I hope you consider joining us!
Gerald Joseph McAdams Kauffman, Jr.
Director and Associate Professor
University of Delaware - Water Resources Center
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration
Institute for Public Administration
By choosing to study Water Science & Policy at the University of Delaware, you will be embarking on an exciting intellectual journey that will challenge you to synthesize knowledge from a number of different fields. No matter what aspect of water you choose as your research focus, you’ll be encouraged to look at how it intertwines with other natural and human aspects of water quality and quantity.
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Adventure, curiosity and global connection
July 09, 2025 | Written by Katie Peikes | Photos by Kathy F. AtkinsonIn the University of Delaware's Townsend Hall, artwork serves as a tangible reminder that Blue Hens are adventurous, creative, globally minded and pathologically curious about the world around them. The landscape architecture sketches created during the winter Brazil study abroad program liven up an otherwise drab area but also serve as a marketing tool for future study abroad programs. -
Geochemistry pioneer
July 09, 2025 | Written by Katie PeikesOver the course of his illustrious UD career, Sparks was internationally recognized for his work regarding kinetics of geochemical processes, surface chemistry of natural materials, and how changing environmental conditions affect soils. Now retired, the founding director of the Delaware Environmental Institute and generous philanthropist continues to garner praise and accolades for the breadth of work he has done in his field. -
History Matters: Trailblazer Marian Coffin’s quiet influence on Delaware’s gardens and grounds
June 02, 2025 | Written by Kyle McKinnon | Delaware Public MediaAnna Wik, University of Delaware associate professor of landscape architecture is interviewed by Delaware Public Media on its program "The Green" about Marian Coffin and the impact she had on Delaware. Coffin was one of the first female architects in the U.S. She created the look and feel of UD's campus. Coffin also designed the Mount Cuba Center and the gardens at Winterthur Museum.
Connect
234 Hullihen Hall, Newark, DE 19716 USA grad@udel.edu General: (302) 831-6824 Fax: (302) 831-8745