The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $99,999 in grant funding to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for research to develop a sustainable and eco-friendly membrane system that removes chemicals from household drinking water.
The funding comes as part of EPA’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) Program. The P3 program is a two-phase research grant competition for college students that offers hands-on experience that brings their classroom learning to life, while also allowing them to create tangible changes in their communities. Phase I serves as a “proof of concept,” where teams are awarded a one-year grant of up to $25,000 to develop their idea. These teams are then eligible to compete for a Phase II grant of up to $100,000 to implement their design in a real-world setting.
“These students 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.”
The winning project from the team at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is one of five total P3 Phase II awards under this announcement. Three of the other winning projects were announced in April and the final project will be announced later this year.
"EPA is proud to support the research being advanced by this student team,” said Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “We look forward to seeing the innovative, sustainable solutions that will advance protection of our environment and our natural resources.”
