Texas State research to be featured on 'State of Tomorrow'

By Mark Hendricks
University News Service
April 4, 2007

Research being conducted at Texas State University-San Marcos will be featured in the 13-episode documentary series State of Tomorrow, which premieres statewide in April on PBS affiliates.

The series episode Preserve and Protect features researchers from Texas State’s River Systems Institute and Texas Watch examining what we know about the future of water resources in Texas and the challenges ahead.

The episode will be televised by Austin PBS affiliate KLRU at 2 a.m. Saturday, April 7, and at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12.

San Antonio PBS affiliate KLRN will also carry the series but has not announced its telecast schedule yet.

The series will also feature Texas State in its final episode. Art Professor James Housefield will discuss the state’s Creative Capital and the importance and future of the arts in Texas. That episode will be telecast during the summer. The telecast schedule has not been released yet.

State of Tomorrow represents an unprecedented partnership among higher education, a documentary production company and public television. It examines some of the most exciting work being done by researchers and academics in public higher education to address major challenges facing Texas today.

The wide-ranging series explores major challenges in areas including public health, homeland security, natural resources, energy policy, economic development, the arts and education. It highlights new research in biosafety, nanotechnology and proton therapy.

Faculty from Texas State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, University of Houston, University of North Texas and University of Texas systems are featured in the series.

The series is co-produced by the University of Texas Foundation and Alpheus Media Inc. in partnership with public television station KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, and is paid for with private funding from sponsors including AT&T Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp., and IBC Bank, among others.

For further information, visit the State of Tomorrow website at http://www.stateoftomorrow.com/