Texas Desal Association issues prizes to student researchers for advanced water treatment

Miguel Fraga, The University of Texas at El Paso, student poster exhibitor and prize winner, explains his research at Texas Desal 2018 conference in Austin on Sept 13, 2018.

AUSTIN, TEXAS, SEPT 20, 2018 -- At its recent annual conference in Austin, the Texas Desalination Association presented financial awards to two Texas student researchers in the field of advanced water treatment. Amit Jain, a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Rice University, won a $2,000 scholarship from the Association's Ed Archuleta Desalter Scholarship Fund. Mr. Jain's winning essay, which tracked his research, was titled, "Low-Cost Brackish Water Desalination Through Membrane Capacitive Deionization."

Mr. Jain's application stood out among 13 applicants from Texas universities that were judged by a panel of water technology professionals and academics. Carollo Engineers sponsored the 2018 Ed Archuleta Scholarship Program and was pleased to deliver the scholarship award that exemplifies the company's commitment to innovative water technologies and next generation water leaders.

The scholarship fund is named after Edmund G. "Ed" Archuleta, who was honored in 2016 by the Association as its Texas Desalination Pioneer. Mr. Archuleta managed the El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board from January 1989 until his retirement in January 2013. He is widely recognized as the the driving force behind the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant that opened in 2007 and stands today as the largest inland desalination plant in the United States. Mr. Archuleta is currently Director of Water Initiatives at The University of Texas at El Paso.

The Texas Desalination Association continued its commitment to the student researchers/developers of innovative water technologies through it's Student Poster Program. Five students were chosen to present research posters at the Texas Desal 2018 conference. Water professional attendees used audience response technology (Shout Poll) to select the winning student poster in real time. Miguel Fraga, from The Univeristy of Texas at El Paso, was awarded a $500 prize for his poster entitled, "Solar-Powered Pont-of-Use Reverse Osmosis Desalination of Brackish Water."

Other student posters were from Texas A&M Kingsville, The University of Texas at El Paso, Texas State University and the University of Houston. All students were grateful for the opportunity to share their research and findings with more than 235 attendees at the Texas Desal conference.

Miguel Fraga, The University of Texas at El Paso, winner of the Texas Desal 2018 student poster competition is congratulated by Paul Choules, Texas Desalination Association board president.

The Texas Desalination Association encourages better use of Texas water resources through the development of brackish, marine and other saline waters. Texas Desal does this through advocacy and education of state and local decision makers, the public, industry leaders and other stakeholders. TexasDesal.org