Former state representative Mike Sanders of Kingfisher has been selected to advise a five-year, $24 million research project that aims to address the impacts of Oklahoma’s unpredictable weather.

Sanders joins more than 20 other state leaders from government, industry and the private sector to serve in this role.

The research project, which began July 1, is titled “Socially Sustainable Solutions for Water, Carbon, and Infrastructure Resilience in Oklahoma,” also known as “S3OK.”

It is funded by the National Science Foundation and Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Through the S3OK grant, a team of more than 40 researchers from institutions across the state is working to find science-based answers to problems facing Oklahomans, including flooding, drought and the rapid, unpredictable weather swings in between.

Through his participation in the Opinion Leader Advisory Network (OLAN), Sanders and his colleagues will provide researchers with insight required to determine how these challenges and research-based solutions may affect communities across Oklahoma.

“The OLAN’s input will enable the research team to focus their scientific work in a way that will provide the most benefit to the state,” Kevin Wagner, project director, said.

“By collaborating with this diverse group of opinion leaders, our project is positioned to push the boundaries of conventional thinking and approaches to find new, creative solutions to some of our state’s most challenging problems,” he said.

Sanders’ background in government, private industry, and agriculture provides a depth and diversity of knowledge that will serve the project well, Wagner said.

Sanders represented House District 59 for 12 years, with the last four years as House Majority Leader.

He received White House appointments under both Bush and he also served in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in numerous high-level advisory capacities.

Currently, Sanders works as president and CEO of Sanders Strategy and Consulting Group. He and his wife Nellie have two sons, Davis and Walker.