Documenting water resources and aquifers in Barbados
The University of Texas at Arlington and the Catholic University of Colombia are collaborating on an international audiovisual production involving faculty and students from both institutions. The production and cultural exchange program are funded by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, Partners of the Americas, Grupo Energía Bogotá, Fundación Santo Domingo and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus.
In late June, faculty from UT Arlington and Catholic University of Colombia traveled to Barbados to document water initiatives on the island. In Barbados, 90% of potable water comes from aquifers—a source currently threatened by rising sea levels, extreme weather and inadequate infrastructure.
Julian Rodriguez, a broadcast specialist in the Department of Communication, leads the project at UTA.
“We had the wonderful opportunity to interview officials, document vital aquifers and environmental conservation efforts, and witness firsthand the serious impact environmental change is having on the island,” Rodriguez said. “It’s very concerning to see how nations like Barbados are among those impacted most by global environmental change and extreme weather.”
Related: Rodriguez produces climate change special for Weather Channel en Español
Jairo Becerra, research director at the Center for Socio-Legal Research at CUC, said the main objective of the project is to focus on solutions.
“Environmental change is here to stay, and we must focus on mitigation and adaptation. We must find common ground—we have only one planet, and if we don’t address these new global challenges, we will leave behind a permanent and unmanageable problem,” said Becerra.
Students from CUC plan to visit UTA in mid-July to document water availability challenges in Texas. The resulting audiovisual production will be distributed by The Weather Channel.
Related: UTA professor Nominated For National Emmy
In 2023, Rodriguez and Becerra partnered on a one-hour special about data and climate change aimed at Spanish-speaking viewers. The documentary-style program is called “Decisiones: Datos y Cambio Climático,” which translates to “Decisions: Data and Climate Change.” It focused on how access to public data can help people make informed decisions in adapting to and mitigating issues caused by environmental change.
The documentary was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2024 in the Outstanding Investigative News Coverage in Spanish category.
- Written by Julian Rodriguez, Department of Communication
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.