The 2025 NC WRRI Annual Conference plenary speakers have been announced! These speakers, who will lead the opening sessions on both days of the conference, include scientists, researchers, and communicators working in water.
On Wednesday, March 19th, the first day of our annual conference will open with a panel titled “Managing Misinformation: Working in Communities and Building Trust.” Led by Rebecca Jones, WRRI’s own Director of Communications, the panel will also feature invited speakers Dr. Brian Southwell, Dr. Barbara Doll, and Stacey Feken. Panelists will share their experiences with communicating scientific knowledge to the public.
On Thursday, March 20th, the second day of the conference will open with a presentation from Branko Kerkez is the Associate Department Chair for Research and an Arthur F. Thurnau Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. Titled “The Future is Now: Utilizing Artificial Intelligence in Water Systems,” this presentation will focus on applying artificial intelligence to address real world problems, and will explore innovative ways to utilize tech in water through sensors, algorithms, and decision support tools.
Meet our speakers
Dr. Brian Southwell, Distinguished Fellow at RTI International
Dr. Brian Southwell is Distinguished Fellow at RTI International where he oversees research to assess effects of information on behavior, risk perceptions, mental models of scientific concepts, and public trust in science and scientists. He also is an adjunct professor of Internal Medicine with Duke University where he co-founded the Duke Program on Medical Misinformation. In addition, he is an adjunct associate professor with UNC-Chapel Hill’s Gillings School of Global Public Health and an adjunct faculty member with the University of Delaware. At RTI, Southwell co-leads the All of Us Researcher Academy, funded by the National Institutes of Health, to support scholarly publishing using publicly available data. He has served various committees for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, including a consensus study on misinformation about science and the Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication, as well as for the World Health Organization, Council of Medical Specialty Societies, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Southwell is an active participant in efforts to address public understanding of science through peer-reviewed publications as well as public commentary, talks in venues such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, and advising for projects such as NOVA Science Studio. His research appears in more than 150 journal articles and chapters and he has published four books including Misinformation and Mass Audiences (University of Texas Press). He also hosts a public radio show on WNCU 90.7 FM called The Measure of Everyday Life.
Dr. Barbara Doll, Water Protection and Restoration Specialist at NC Sea Grant & Associate Extension Professor & Extension Specialist in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at NC State
Dr. Barbara Doll is a licensed professional engineer with over 30 years of experience in ecological restoration. She teaches professional development workshops and academic courses in fluvial geomorphology and ecological restoration. She has secured and managed more than $12 million in external funding to implement water quality and restoration demonstration projects and conduct research at NC State University. She has led design, permitting, bidding and construction oversight for several restoration projects in this role. She leads a team of engineers and students that focus on evaluating the performance of stream restoration efforts, developing new techniques for ecological restoration and assisting communities with flooding and water quality challenges.
Stacey Feken, Policy and Engagement Manager at Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP)
Stacey Feken joined APNEP in 2016 with over 15 years of experience working in ecosystem restoration, water resources, and ecological research programs in Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida. Prior to working at APNEP, Stacey served for 14 years with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in various roles implementing the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and related greater South Florida ecosystem restoration plans. Stacey holds an M.S. in Marine Sciences from the University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, and a B.S. in Zoology from Louisiana State University.
Dr. Branko Kerkez, Associate Department Chair for Research and an Arthur F. Thurnau Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan
Branko Kerkez is the Associate Department Chair for Research and an Arthur F. Thurnau Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. Kerkez is also the Director of the Urban Collaboratory, a collaboration between University of Michigan faculty and students and city stakeholders who are working together to address emerging environmental challenges. Kerkez and his research group are seeking to understand human-to-machine collaboration so that artificial intelligence can be seen and used as a tool for water systems. Furthermore, Kerkez has experience working with water utilities to optimize energy recovery and resource extraction in treatment plants and incorporating sensor data that can improve process controls and energy consumption. He’s approaching regional water management through sensor deployment and creating “digital watersheds” that allow for a holistic view of flow management in urban and rural areas. Kerkez and his research team are moving the needle by utilizing tech in water through sensors, algorithms, and decision support tools and his work is at the forefront of applying artificial intelligence to address real world problems. View his research group’s latest work here: www.digitalwaterlab.org.
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