Thanh Helen Nguyen, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), mentors the group, which includes about 20 engineering students altogether, many of them CEE. They are researching, designing, and implementing an innovative household water filtration system that uses iron-amended biosand filters for the town of Socorro, Guatemala.
The annual Sustainable Design Expo, held on the National Mall, features an award competition for college and university students who have designed sustainable technologies. The P3 Award is given to the highest-rated student designs based on recommendations from the American Association for the Advancement of Science judging panel. The award includes a recycled glass sculpture and eligibility for additional funding of up to $75,000. The award money is intended to enable winners to further develop their designs, implement them in the field, and move them to the marketplace with the ultimate goal of benefiting people, promoting prosperity, and protecting the planet.
The ASCE National Capital Section, ASCE Committee on Sustainability, and the Engineers Without Borders D.C. Chapter jointly sponsor the ASCE/EWB Sustainable Development Award. The $1,000 award recognizes the student team which best represents the project that solves a pressing need in a developing country. Judging criteria include the use of local raw materials, simplicity of design and widespread impact on quality of life for the developing region.
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Contact/Writer: Celeste Arbogast Bragorgos, director of communications, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 217/333-6955.
If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, 217/244-7716, writer/editor.