WEF Releases Junior Water Prize Journal
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has released the fourth annual Journal of the U.S. SJWP, which presents the fresh and sometimes novel thinking of today's young scientists and provides the students with experience in scientific writing and publication.
Featuring eight papers, including those of the 2009 U.S. winner Eileen Jang (N.C.) and the three U.S. finalists, Scott Boisvert (Ariz.), Li Boynton (Texas), and Collin McAliley (Fla.), the publication is available for download on the WEF Web site at www.wef.org.
Jang’s work, “Natural Organics Control Aggregation of Mercury Sulfide Nanoparticles in Freshwater Systems,” introduced a novel aqueous synthesis process for studying how HgS nanoparticles, the precursors to methylmercury, persist in freshwater systems. Her research deepened the understanding of mercury, a substance that bioaccumulates in fish and is toxic to humans, in its aqueous phase and furthered the emerging field of nanogeoscience. Her project was selected from more than 40 state SJWP winners at the national competition held in Anchorage, Alaska this past June.
The following August, Jang represented the United States at the international competition in Stockholm, Sweden, where national winners from more than 30 countries competed in the prestigious event.
Ceren Burçak Dag of Nisantasi, Turkey was awarded the international prize for developing an innovative method of generating energy through piezoelectric pulses from falling raindrops.
WEF sponsors the U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize with support from ITT Corporation (also the international sponsor), The Coca-Cola Company, and Delta Air Lines. The Alaska Water Wastewater Management Association served as the 2009 host of the national competition and Jang received sponsorship from the North Carolina Water Environment Association.
Sponsored by the Missouri Water Environment Association, the 2010 U.S. SJWP competition will take place June 17-20, 2010 in St. Louis, Mo.