Collaborative Research: IRES Track I: Materials based innovations for sustainable water treatment and reuse

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This collaborative IRES project provides U.S. students with opportunities to engage in water science and engineering research in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Montpellier and the European Institute of Membranes in Montpellier, France as well as partners from extended international networks. Research projects focus on scientifically meaningful challenges in order to develop new materials and technologies for water treatment and reuse. The project leverages the complementary skills and resources of U.S. and international collaborators; access to unique analytical instrumentation, water treatment facilities, and materials fabrication technologies at international locations enables research not possible without the IRES linkages. The thirteen-week IRES experience includes a 9-week research stay at French laboratories where each U.S. student is co-supervised by U.S. PIs and an international mentor. The projects are designed to accentuate questions regarding humanity’s relationship with water, adding a unique interdisciplinary quality to the IRES. The ultimate goal of the project is to foster global, technical, and professional competencies in a diverse group of IRES students. Participants benefit from the program professionally and personally; their IRES experience equips them with essential skills for success in the increasingly globalized world as they engage their knowledge and passions to address critical environmental challenges.This IRES project is focused on training the next generation of U.S. water engineers to work collaboratively with international partners and overcome barriers and challenges that limit availability of safe and affordable water. Participating institutions include two U.S. Universities (Louisiana State University and Michigan State University) and their colleagues from the University of Montpellier and the European Institute of Membranes in France. Each year of the program, U.S. students will travel to Montpellier to engage in collaborative projects that bridge and leverage the unique resources and expertise of the U.S. PIs and their foreign collaborators. The collaborative effort takes the advantage of the complementary skill sets in two areas of sustained scientific interest and relevance for environmental engineering practice: photochemical processes and membrane separations. Projects focus on these two interlocking themes to yield research synergies and enrich student experience by illustrating the value of collaboration and the inherently interdisciplinary nature of modern environmental engineering. IRES foci include: 1) Photo-catalyzed degradation of pharmaceuticals in hospital wastewater; 2) Novel UV-LED technology for photocatalytic wastewater treatment; 3) Photocatalytic membranes for inactivation of viruses; 4) Natural coagulants for water treatment; and 5) Human capacity building through global exchange activities. The first four are student research projects and the fifth is a set of sharing activities focused on developing global competencies and best practices such as laboratory safety and research ethics. Summer undergraduate research programs at LSU and MSU are leveraged to encourage the engagement of underrepresented groups into the IRES project, initiate students into research topics and provide them with necessary pre-departure training in our laboratories. The recruitment strategy aims to remove socio-economic hurdles for students who have not had similar international experiences in the past. The project leverages the extensive international network of French colleagues to further broaden international experiences for U.S. students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.