The Water Environment Federation (WEF) announced that students from the University of South Florida and the University of British Columbia as winners of the 2014 WEF Student Design Competition. The thirteenth annual competition took place earlier this month as part of WEFTEC 2014, WEF's 87th annual technical exhibition and conference.
The University of South Florida team’s project, “South/Central Hillsborough County Service Area Capital Improvements Project” won in the wastewater design category and the University of British Columbia team's project, "Scenario Evaluation for Maintaining Baseflows and Water Quality in Star Creek” won in the environmental design category. This was the fourth win for the University of South Florida (a Student Chapter of WEF and the Florida Water Environment Assn.) and the second win for the University of British Columbia (a Student Chapter of WEF and the British Columbia Water and Waste Assn.).
As a program of WEF’s Students & Young Professionals Committee, 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 practical solution based on experience, economics, and feasibility.
Members of the University of South Florida team included Lauren Davis, Michael Esteban, Jared Faniel, Andrew Filippi, Winsome Jackson, Herby Jean, Richard Johnson, and their faculty adviser Dr. Sarina Ergas. Members of the University of British Columbia team included Stephen Bertulli, Robert D’Amours, David Houghton, Davis Saabas, Michael Thiessen, and their faculty adviser, Noboru Yonemitsu. Both teams received certificates and a $2,500 award.
Source: Water Environment Federation