News | October 29, 2010

Teams From Southern Methodist University And The University Of Florida Win The 2010 WEF Student Design Competition

Source: Water Environment Federation (WEF) - WEFTEC

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) proudly announces students from Southern Methodist University and the University of Florida as winners of the 2010 Student Design Competition. The ninth annual competition took place at WEFTEC 2010, WEF's 83rd annual technical exhibition and conference, earlier this month in New Orleans, La.

The Southern Methodist University team's project, "Settler's Village Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion" won in the wastewater design category and the University of Florida team's project, "Green Infrastructure Design for Pollutant Control from Transport Systems Crossing Land-Water Interfaces – A Bridge Too Far?" won in the environmental design category. This was the first win for Southern Methodist University and the fifth win for the University of Florida in nine years.

A program of the WEF Students & Young Professionals Committee (SYPC), the competition promotes "real world" design experience for students interested in pursuing an education and/or career in water/wastewater engineering and sciences. It tasks individuals or teams of students within a WEF student chapter to prepare a design to help solve a local water quality issue. Teams evaluate alternatives, perform calculations, and recommend the most feasible solution based on experience, economics, and feasibility.

Members of the Southern Methodist University team included Ruthanne Bruch, Valerie Lemmons, Shannon Silveira and their Design Team Sponsor, Juliene Ellis. Members of the University of Florida team included Stacey Smich, Haley Carter, Marie-Odile Fortier, Joseph Delesantro, Timothy English, Adam Marquez, Julie Midgette, David Brooks, Darryl Marois, Viet Nguyen, Wilton Mui and their faculty advisor, Dr. John Sansalone. Both teams received certificates and a $2,500 award from WEF Past President Jim Clark during a ceremony on October 3rd.

Sponsored by Black & Veatch, CDM, Greeley and Hansen, and Parsons Brinckerhoff, this year's competition was organized by SYPC Chair, Michelle Hatcher with assistance from Design Competition Co-Chair Lauren Zuravnsky and WEF staff liaison Dianne Crilley. For more information, visit www.wef.org.

About WEF
Formed in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF and its Member Associations proudly work to achieve our mission of preserving and enhancing the global water environment.

SOURCE: Water Environment Federation (WEF) - WEFTEC