2025 Award for Best Poster in Water Research Leads to Job
Passion, curiosity, and a sense of mission propelled this past year’s winner of "Best Poster in Water Research" at the 2025 Sonoma State University Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Symposium.
Student researcher Walter Shinichi “Shin” Tadokoro won the top honor for his look into Northern California’s water delivery systems. Tadokoro explored how laws and city planning policies, such as zoning and property size, relate to water efficiency.
“Some laws directly regulate water usage, but some (factors) are more cultural or societal that control water usage,” Tadokoro said. For example, “percent of homes that are over a quarter acre. Most of the places with the highest percent of lots over a quarter acre, there is no coincidence that they were using generally more water per person.”
Tadokoro began this work in a Geography & Environmental Planning (GEP) course, funded by Sonoma Water through CEI’s WATERS Collaborative. Recognition for the research motivated him to continue his work.
“When I heard my name being called for the Best Poster in Water Research Award, that was amazing to me,” said Tadokoro. “After (my group) won an award last year, I was inspired to keep doing it this year and enter myself as a lone researcher. I had a lot of fun, and I was really proud of myself for continuing” on my own.
This year’s award, made possible by a donation from the Stephen Norwick family, included a $600 prize and a sponsored dinner for Tadokoro to discuss his project and goals with water professionals, faculty, and members of the donor family, including Stephen’s daughter Rebecca Norwick.
Tadokoro had a chance at the dinner to talk to Andy Rodgers, who serves as Administrator for the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency, Executive Director of the Russian River Watershed Association, and Executive Director of the North Bay Watershed Association. Rodgers also acted as a judge for the best water poster.
Rodgers said Tadokoro’s research on the alignment or misalignment of public agency policies and conservation goals provided a different way of looking at the issue.
“By looking at multiple agencies of different sizes over a large region, he was able to determine commonalities, variations, and anomalies. These insights could inform a relatively inexpensive informational campaign or follow-up to enhance conservation effectiveness for existing programs at those public agencies,” Rodgers said. “It’s refreshing to be reminded that there are still solutions available to us that don’t require new capital or technology investments. We can work smarter and achieve more with what we already have.”
Tadokoro appreciated the opportunity to have dedicated time with experts in the field.
“Really talking to these people was the award for me,” he said. “They’re just really down-to-earth people, and they just want to be a part of something, just like anyone else. And they’re all really kind people, and they care.”
The Stephen Norwick Memorial Fund, managed by CEI, honors Stephen Norwick’s dedication to field investigation and providing opportunities to inspire students. The fund was set up by friends and family, and is overseen by Professor Norwick’s children.
Tadokoro said his work honors the spirit of the award, to recognize those exploring both environmental issues and societal impacts. And he hopes he can make a difference.
“My goal wasn’t just to perform some esoteric research and have it be stashed away. I wanted this to continue,” said Tadokoro “It’s important to get knowledge of water systems, our ecosystems, etc. on the ground level to make it accessible to everybody.”
Tadokoro, a recent graduate, said his next goal is to find a job. “But not just any job. I think what a lot of us are looking for is a better world, a world where we can say the next generation has a chance. I think there’s a lot of forces ruining the chance of a better life, and I want to be someone who creates more chances for a better world.” Since this interview, Shin was hired by Rodgers, and now works as an Environmental Technical Specialist at West Yost, a water resource management and engineering firm.
As for his advice to fellow students, “don’t be afraid to go after what matters to you, because there’s going to be a lot of doors in your face or hurdles, but just go after your passion.”
(Photos by Brennan Chin)
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