Meet Our Speakers:
👤Hossein Yousefi, Ph.D. Student in Hydrology and Water Resources at the University of Arizona
🎙️Lindsey Schultz, CEO of MRC RecruitingÂ
Episode recap: Academia in action at UArizona’s ELDiA, building the water workforce and bridging science, industry, and policy
This episode spotlights how a student-led symposium is becoming a powerful bridge between research and real world impact. Lindsey speaks with Hossein Yousefi, a PhD candidate in hydrology at the University of Arizona, about ELDiA, the department’s annual student organized showcase held during Earth Week. For mining leaders focused on water stewardship, ESG, and talent pipelines, ELDiA offers a living model for how academia can connect with industry and policy to accelerate solutions.
Hossein’s path sets the tone. Raised in Iran, he began in civil engineering through family influence, then pivoted to hydrology after seeing water scarcity as a daily reality with generational consequences. That purpose driven choice, anchored in public health, agriculture, and urban growth, informs his leadership of ELDiA and his research, which includes work on groundwater recharge and long term resilience in arid regions.
ELDiA’s format is simple and ambitious. Students present research through oral and poster sessions, industry and policy guests participate, and keynote speakers tie science to public service and applied innovation. This year’s theme, Academia in action, bridging science, industry, and policy, responds to shifting funding priorities and the reality that science, operations, and legislation are inseparable. Keynotes include Ken Graham, Director of the National Weather Service and UArizona alum, highlighting operational weather leadership and public value, and Gray Nuring, also a UArizona alum, now a research scientist on Google’s global flood forecasting team, underscoring how academic foundations translate into high impact, user facing tools. Both keynotes are returning to their alma mater, reinforcing ELDiA’s growing reach and reputation.
The program is expanding in practical ways. Attendance has grown to roughly 160 last year, with a target above 180, and about 50 student presenters. New this year, a job and internship fair, led by former ELDiA chair Nathan Strom, brings 12 companies to campus. The goal is twofold, help students navigate a tough job market with earlier touchpoints, and give employers direct access to top hydrology, hydrogeology, atmospheric, and environmental talent. The fair is open beyond the home department, and ELDiA is free and accessible via Zoom, with recordings posted afterward, thanks to sponsor support. Future ambitions include virtual participation for the fair and a statewide collaboration with ASU and NAU.
Hossein’s industry internship mirrors the show’s central insight, value is created when research becomes usable. In academia you prove methods, in industry you package and simplify, then deliver decisions at the click of a button. That translation mindset is what mining operators need as they confront water balance, dewatering, recharge, tailings stability, flood and drought risk, and evolving regulatory expectations.
His advice to students who want to build something similar is clear. Do not rely only on technical depth, develop communication, coordination, and team leadership. Student led events build confidence, community, and visibility, they elevate departments, and they create the networks that power careers.
Dates to know, ELDiA runs March 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with awards to follow, and the internship and job fair is March 25, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., both in Tucson with virtual options for the symposium. Sponsors, industry partners, and future presenters are encouraged to connect with the ELDiA committee to get involved.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: ⏱️
00:00 Introduction to Hossein Yousefi and the episode
00:45 Hossein’s Origin Story, From Civil Engineering to Hydrology
05:00 What LDA Is at the University of Arizona
06:35 The History and Growth of LDA
08:35 Why Hossein Joined LDA and Became Chair
13:05 This Year’s Theme, Academia in Action
15:08 Keynote Speakers and Why They Matter
18:12 The New Job and Internship Fair
24:35 How Students and Companies Can Join LDA
26:45 A Bigger Vision, Expanding Beyond One Department
29:10 Hossein’s Hope for LDA’s Long-Term Legacy
30:50 LDA Event Dates, Format, and Awards
32:40 Internship Experience, Academia vs. Industry
35:20 Graduation Timeline and Future Career Direction
38:20 Balancing Research, Internship, and Leadership
40:35 Advice for Students Organizing Events Like LDA
43:25 How Others Can Support and Share LDA
45:35 Thanks to the LDA Team, Faculty, and Sponsors
47:00 Closing Thoughts and Future Visit to the Department
Connect with us on LinkedIn and check out monthly episodes of Ore-atory: Elevating Mining Minds on Apple Podcast or Spotify, where we continue to explore the mining industry workspace.
Tune in and be part of the conversation that’s shaping the future of mining!
Are you a job seeker looking for your next opportunity or an organization looking to hire your next team member? If you have time for a quick chat about your goals MRCÂ can help connect with us.