Rader appointed to Opinion Leader’s Advisory Network

Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, has been appointed by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, to the Opinion Leader’s Advisory Network (OLAN) for the Oka’ Water Institute at East Central University (ECU) in Ada.

Through OLAN, Rader will work with Oka’ and their scientists to create sustainable solutions to move the state forward in the areas of variable/marginal quality water, seasonal to sub-seasonal weather extremes, terrestrial water-carbon dynamics and sustainable infrastructure.

The project, S³ OK: Finding Socially Sustainable Solutions for Water, Carbon and Infrastructure Resilience in Oklahoma, was made possible by a $20 million grant the state of Oklahoma received from the National Science Foundation.

“A solid infrastructure is incredibly important to any municipality, and I’m grateful to be working with OLAN to create solutions to ensure all Oklahomans have access to high-quality water,” Rader said. “Water access is absolutely considered infrastructure – without it, our towns and cities couldn’t survive. I’m excited to see the work that comes from the Oka’ Water Institute and would like to thank the Pro Tem for his confidence in me to serve in this capacity.”

Susan Paddack, executive director of the Oka’ Institute for Public Service and former Oklahoma state Senator, requested Rader’s appointment to the network.

“This novel approach to research is a wonderful opportunity for our leaders to give honest feedback on the solutions they would like to see our scientists create,” Paddack said. “Whether it is a solution on produced waters, or the need to prepare our electrical grid for conditions such as the recent ice storm, this project could have very practical and meaningful solutions for our state."