Susan Seacrest
Susan Schroeder Seacrest | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 (age 71–72) |
| Education | |
| Occupation(s) | Teacher, environmental activist |
| Known for | Founder of the Groundwater Foundation |
| Awards | |
Susan Seacrest is an American environmental activist and teacher who is an advocate for groundwater protection. She is the founder of the Groundwater Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to educating people about threats to public drinking water.
Early life and education
[edit]Seacrest was born in 1953 in Lincoln, Nebraska.[1] She graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in 1971[1] and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College[2] and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Rochester.[3]
Career
[edit]Seacrest worked as a teacher and guidance counselor for the Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska.[3] In 1985, her son developed an illness that was not immediately diagnosed.[4] His illness was eventually determined to be Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and he recovered within a year.[5] After learning that a study found a high rate of occurrence of this type of lymphoma in the Platte River Valley, Seacrest reached out to the study's author who encouraged her to do her own research on water issues in Nebraska.[5] This led her to found the Groundwater Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people about threats to public drinking water.[6][7]
Seacrest served as president of the foundation from its inception through her retirement in 2007.[8] It is credited with educating the public on the need to protect drinking water and reducing nitrate levels within the Platte River Basin.[9] She has been cited for her expertise on Nebraska's Ogallala Aquifer and her lifetime of work on groundwater issues.[5] Seacrest has served on both the National Drinking Water Advisory Council and the Children's Health Protection Advisory Council.[4]
After retiring from the foundation, Seacrest returned to teaching.[2] In 2021, she was appointed to the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District board of directors.[10]
Awards and honors
[edit]- In 1989, Seacrest was awarded the JL Higgins Award for her dedication to groundwater[11]
- In 1994, Seacrest was the recipient of the John Wesley Powell Award from the United States Geological Survey[1]
- In 1999, Seacrest was named as one of seven "Heroes for the Planet" by Time magazine[8]
- In 2007, Seacrest received the Heinz Award in honor of her environmental achievements[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Kral, E. A. (2015). "900 Famous Nebraskans" (PDF). Nebraska State Education Association. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ a b Sorrentino, Joseph. "Saving Groundwater One Community at a Time". University of Rochester. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ a b Program and Proceedings: The Nebraska Academy of Sciences (PDF) (Report). Nuclear Regulatory Commission. April 18, 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ a b Laukaitis, Algis (February 18, 2013). "Susan Seacrest navigates her way to counseling career at North Star". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ a b c Pipher, Mary (June 4, 2013). The Green Boat: Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture. Penguin Publishing Group. pp. 147–148. ISBN 9781101624074. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ Hallowell, Christopher (August 2, 1999). "Fresh Water: SUSAN SEACREST: Are the Wells Poisoned?". Time. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ Marquette, Catherine M., ed. (August 10, 2009). Water and Development - Volume II. EOLSS Publications. pp. 106–107. ISBN 9781848261976. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
- ^ a b Gaarder, Nancy (October 6, 2007). "Clean-water advocate to retire". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 4, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Susan Seacrest". Heinz Awards. 2007. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
- ^ "Lower Platte South NRD Appoints Seacrest". nrdnet.org. March 18, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
- ^ "Susan Seacrest wins water award". North Platte Telegraph. December 23, 1989. Retrieved July 4, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Heinz awards recognize six innovators". USA Today. September 12, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.