June 28, 2022
SEATTLE (June 28, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $399,837 in funding to 16 student teams for their research and innovative solutions to address environmental and public health challenges as part of the Agency’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) Program.
“The students honored today are leading the way when it comes to developing cutting-edge research to address some of our most challenging environmental concerns,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “I’m excited to support the next generation of scientists and engineers though EPA’s P3 program.”
In EPA’s Region 10, two universities are receiving funding for the 18th Annual P3 Phase I awards:
Gonzaga University students will create and test an innovative engineering solution to remove drinking water contaminants. The project, “Optimizing Biochar Adsorbent Production through Semi-gasification,” will blend water quality research and combustion engineering to develop efficient, low-cost and sustainable biochar adsorbents to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water. The proposed research aims to identify optimal production conditions, develop models that predict biochar adsorbing performance, and produce hands-on learning modules for K-12 students to explore watershed pollution and sustainable engineering practices.
Oregon State University students will research and develop a household heating system for Tribal communities that’s cleaner and more efficient. The project, “Cleaner Cordwood Heating Technology for Tribal Communities,” will leverage an interdisciplinary team of engineers, social scientists, and entrepreneurs from academia, non-profit organizations, and tribal leadership, to design and implement cleaner and more efficient wood heating technologies. These diverse mentors will engage undergraduate and graduate students at Oregon State through curricular and co-curricular pathways that allow them to contribute to these research activities. The project will include collaboration with tribes and tribal program staff, along with the non-profit organization Trees, Water & People.
EPA’s P3 program is a two-phase research grant program open to teams of college and university students working to design solutions for a sustainable future.
The 16 Phase I recipients announced today will receive grants of up to $25,000 each which serve as their proof of concept. They will be eligible to compete for a Phase II grant of up to $100,000 to further implement their design in a real-world setting.
Learn more about the winners.
More information on the P3 Program.
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Originally Appeared Here