• Nominations due June 1, 2011
ALEXANDRIA, VA, Mar. 23, 2011 -- The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) is offering $100,000 to encourage researchers working in wastewater, water reuse, biosolids, stormwater, watersheds, and other areas to pursue innovative research.
Over the past decade, the Paul L. Busch Award has provided $1 million in research funding, enabling researchers to transform their dreams into practical solutions for the water quality community.
"The Paul L. Busch Award celebrates innovation," says WERF Executive Director Glenn Reinhardt. "It gives researchers pursuing new, creative solutions an outlet for their work, and provides some much-appreciated visibility and encouragement."
Columbia University researcher Kartik Chandran received the Paul L. Busch Award in 2010 for his work on a microbial reactor that converts methane to methanol, a technology that could help wastewater treatment plants reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and provide a cost-effective carbon source to enhance biological nutrient removal.
In developing countries and remote villages, Chandran's bioreactor could, in conjunction with existing onsite treatment systems, transform methane released from human and livestock waste into needed cooking fuel and a valuable commodity for local villagers.
The award is granted to an individual or team. Utilities, universities, environmental firms, and others conducting water quality research or engineering work are encouraged to apply. Applicants may self-nominate or be nominated by a third party.
Interested individuals or teams must submit their application to WERF by June 1, 2011. More information on the Paul L. Busch Award, including the application process, is online at www.werf.org/PaulLBusch.
About WERF
The Water Environment Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed in 1989, is America's leading independent scientific research organization dedicated to wastewater and stormwater issues.
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