IRES: U.S.-Ghana Collaboration Providing Opportunities for Global Research Activities on Sustainable Water Purification (GRA-SWP)

IRES：美国-加纳合作为可持续水净化全球研究活动提供机会 (GRA-SWP)

• 批准号: 1358204
• 负责人: Patrick Mensah
• 金额: $ 24.97万
• 依托单位: Southern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-09-01 至 2018-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1358204&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: IRES; U.S.; Ghana; Collaboration; Providing

Technical Description This U.S.-Ghana International Research Experience for Students (IRES) award supports collaboration in water resources science between Southern University, LA and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST). This IRES project establishes a joint effort between the STEM faculty at these institutions, who will undertake effective, innovative, and transformative research that ensures the sustainability of global water resources and large-scale water purification. The US-investigative team consists of two faculty members from the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering at Southern University and A&M College, the nation's largest Historically Black College and University; the international participants are faculty members of the Department of Materials Engineering at KUNST. KNUST is the host institution for this IRES project and will facilitate arrangements to enable successful research, scholarly visits, and access to the research laboratories for IRES students. Five faculty members from Southern and Kwame Nkrumah will be directly involved in the research and mentoring activities. Student participants from the U.S. include five undergraduate and one graduate student for five weeks each year over three years. This project will train the next generation of researchers and contribute to developing a globally- engaged workforce. This project seeks to develop a low cost but technologically efficient composite material for sustainable water purification. It will examine the process of adsorption of the fluoride and other microbial contaminants onto the composite material developed for enhanced fluoride removal. Three separate research tracts that students can choose are: 1) Characterization of fundamental micro-structural properties of laterite, 2) Evaluation of a composite Laterite with alumina and magnesium oxide nano-particles to enhance adsorption of fluoride, and 3) Evaluation of a composite laterite with calcium oxide and silica nano-particles to enhance adsorption of fluoride.Students will learn data acquisition techniques and the ability to analyze and interpret scientific information. Broader Description Students majoring in STEM fields will have the opportunity to engage in research in an international environment where they will have to adapt to solving non-traditional problems. Additionally, the IRES experience is expected to: 1) enhance US-student global awareness and perspectives, 2) provide experiential learning opportunities for students through multidisciplinaryand multi-institutional partnerships; 3) enhance the ability of water resources science faculty to conduct collaborative research through international engagements. The project will raisegeneral awareness about related issues and the need and advantages of studying the topicsin multidisciplinary and internationally collaborative environments. The research findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences organized by the World Health Organization and the American Society of Civil Engineering.

技术描述此美国-加纳国际学生研究经验（IRES）奖支持南方大学，洛杉矶和科学技术的夸梅恩克鲁玛大学，库马西（KNUST）之间的水资源科学合作。这个IRES项目建立了这些机构的STEM教师之间的共同努力，他们将进行有效，创新和变革性的研究，以确保全球水资源和大规模水净化的可持续性。美国调查小组由该部门的两名教员组成。在南方大学和美国历史上最大的黑人学院和大学A M学院的机械工程系;国际参与者是KUNST材料工程系的教员。KNUST是这个IRES项目的主办机构，并将促进安排，使成功的研究，学术访问，并获得IRES学生的研究实验室。来自南方和Kwame Nkrumah的五名教师将直接参与研究和指导活动。来自美国的学生参与者包括五名本科生和一名研究生，为期三年，每年五周。该项目将培养下一代研究人员，并为发展全球参与的劳动力做出贡献。该项目旨在开发一种低成本但技术高效的复合材料，用于可持续的水净化。它将研究的过程中的氟化物和其他微生物污染物的吸附到复合材料开发的增强除氟。学生可以选择的三个独立的研究领域是：1）红土的基本微观结构性质的表征，2）评价具有氧化铝和氧化镁纳米颗粒的复合红土以增强氟化物的吸附，和3）具有氧化钙和二氧化硅纳米颗粒的复合红土的评价。学生将学习数据采集技术以及分析和解释科学信息的能力。STEM专业的学生将有机会在国际环境中从事研究，他们将不得不适应解决非传统问题。此外，IRES的经验预计：1）提高美国学生的全球意识和观点，2）通过多学科和多机构的合作伙伴关系为学生提供体验式学习机会; 3）提高水资源科学教师通过国际参与进行合作研究的能力。该项目将提高人们对相关问题的普遍认识，以及在多学科和国际合作环境中研究主题的必要性和优势。研究结果将通过同行审查的出版物和在世界卫生组织和美国土木工程学会组织的会议上的介绍加以传播。