New Hampshire Student To Represent U.S. In International Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition

Deepika Kurup from Nashua, N.H. was named the U.S. winner of the 2014 Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP)—the most prestigious international competition for water-related research—during a ceremony this past weekend at the Hilton Dulles Airport Hotel in Herndon, Va.

Kurup’s project, “A Novel Photocatalytic Pervious Composite for Degrading Organics and Inactivating Bacteria in Wastewater” was selected from 48 state SJWP winners at the national competition that was held June 13-14. Her research offers options for safe, cost-effective, and eco-friendly wastewater treatment by integrating an enhanced photocatalytic advanced oxidation process with filtration using novel pervious composites.

“The water sector is an ever-evolving profession that continually seeks new and innovative approaches to sustainable water management,” said Mohamed F. Dahab, Chair of the SJWP Review Committee. “We were very impressed with the high caliber of research and creativity presented by Miss Kurup and all of the young men and women who participated in this year’s competition.”

Kurup received $10,000 (USD) and an all-expense paid trip to Stockholm, Sweden where she will represent the United States at the international competition during World Water Week, Aug. 31-Sept. 5, 2014. The international winner will receive $15,000 (USD) presented during a royal ceremony by the prize’s Patron HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Other competition winners included the two U.S. runners up, Bluyé DeMessie (Mason, Ohio) and Zachary Loeb (Melbourne, Fla.) who each received $1,000, as well as Jack Andraka (Crownsville, Md.) and Chloe Diggs (Glen Burnie, Md.), who were joint recipients of the Bjorn von Euler Innovation in Water Scholarship Award.

In the United States, WEF and its Member Associations organize the national, state, and regional SJWP competitions with support from Xylem Inc., who also sponsors the international competition and the $1,000 Bjorn von Euler Innovation in Water Scholarship Award.

About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF members, Member Associations and staff proudly work to achieve our mission to provide bold leadership, champion innovation, connect water professionals, and leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide. For more information, visit www.wef.org.