The Raritan River has a rich history, which includes strong ties to Rutgers University. However, for Rutgers students the Raritan River is a problem, a physical barrier separating campuses experienced primarily through the windows of a bus. A number of entities from across the university are collaborating to transform the Raritan Basin into an academic solution, an interactive field laboratory that enhances the student experience by linking science, engineering, and humanities programs through interdisciplinary classes, projects and activities that take place not only on the banks of but actually in the Old Raritan and its tributaries. The initiatives involved in Raritan-related efforts include the Johnson Family Chair in Water Resources and Watershed Ecology, the Sustainable Raritan River Initiative (SRRI), and the new multidisciplinary, university-wide collaborative called the Rutgers Raritan River Consortium (R3C).
Through these groups, students have the opportunity to:
- Access the Raritan River on our new 20 passenger vessel
- Collect and analyze data to improve understanding of the Raritan
- Participate in ongoing research within the Raritan River
- Participate in studios focused on Raritan issues/concerns (learn more here)
- Participate in seminars and conferences addressing Raritan region topics
- Utilize the Raritan as a resource to enhance science, planning and policy curriculum
- Interact with and learn from professionals, stakeholders and decision-makers in the field.