Calif. Student Is U.S. Representative for Water Prize
Joyce Chai of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., is the U.S. winner of the 2008 Stockholm Junior Water Prize during a ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Fla.
The student's work, "Modeling the Toxic Effects of Silver Nanoparticles under Varying Environmental Conditions", demonstrated a novel technique to quantifying the potential toxicity of silver nanoparticles to the world's water sources and the environment as well as repudiated the assertion that consumer products that contain nanosilver are more reliable and less environmentally hazardous. Chai's project was selected from more than 40 state winners at the national competition held in Orlando, June 19-21.
The student from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. received $3,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Stockholm, Sweden, where she will compete against national winners from more than 30 countries during World Water Week, August 17-23.
Chai's school will receive a $1,000 grant toward enhancing water science education, and she will present her research to more than 18,000 water quality professionals at WEFTEC®.08 this October in Chicago, Ill.
Timothy Chang from Rego Park, N.Y., Ashutosh Patra from Portland, Ore., and Eugene Rodrick from Gainesville, Fla., received $1,000 awards.
The Water Environment Federation sponsors the U.S. SJWP with support from ITT Corp. (also the international sponsor), The Coca-Cola Co., and Delta Air Lines.