Florida, British Columbia Teams Win 2013 WEF Student Design Competition

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) announced students from the University of South Florida and the University of British Columbia as winners of the 2013 Student Design Competition. The 12th annual competition took place earlier in October as part of WEFTEC 2013, WEF's 86th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference.

The University of South Florida team’s project, “City of St. Petersburg Biogass Utilization Project” won in the wastewater design category and the University of British Columbia team's project, "Microalgae Cultivation and Harvesting: Design of Pilot Facilities at the Annacis Wastewater Academy” won in the environmental design category. This was the third win for the University of South Florida (a Student Chapter of the Florida Water Environment Assn.) and the first win for the University of British Columbia (a Student Chapter of the British Columbia Water and Waste Assn.) in 12 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 University of South Florida team included Nicole Smith, George Dick, Melissa Butcher, Matthew Woodham and Margaret Cone and their faculty adviser Dr. Sarina Ergas. Members of the University of British Columbia team included Michal Simhon, Christopher Lawson, Connor Wilson, Laith Furatian and Rony Das and their faculty adviser, Dr. Don Mavinic. Both teams received certificates and a $2,500 award as announced by WEF Past President Jeanette Brown during a ceremony on Oct. 6.

The Design Competition was sponsored by Black & Veatch, CDM Smith, Greeley and Hansen, HDR Eng. and Parsons Brinckerhoff. This year’s competition was organized by SYPC Design Competition program chair Lauren Zuravnsky and vice chair Allison Reinert with assistance from Design Competition program past chair Michelle Hatcher and WEF staff liaison Dianne Crilley.

Source: Water Environment Federation