IUCRC Phase III: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Center for Water Equipment and Policy (WEP)

清洁饮用水和卫生设施是美国经济可持续增长需要解决的经济和政策问题。世界自然保护委员会水务设备与政策（WEP）由威斯康辛大学密尔沃基分校和马奎特大学合作，提供创新的水务技术和流程，以促进水务行业的发展，并开展研究，为水务政策制定者提供信息。在第一阶段和第二阶段，WEP在四个重点领域完成了近100个竞争前研究项目：水传感器、新材料、创新处理系统和水政策研究。通过研究，WEP中心提供了创新的产品和解决方案，以解决工业合作伙伴在使用点技术、新出现的污染物、可持续性和节能方面未得到满足或服务不足的需求。在第三阶段，WEP中心的目标是利用过去的成功，通过发现新客户来发展中心研究，通过增加场地来扩大研究团队，不断完善技术路线图，探索突破性技术的水科学新领域，培养一支高素质的员工队伍，以满足国家在饮用水质量和废水管理方面的需求。威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校（UWM）是世界自然与自然保护委员会WEP的领导地点。UWM网站的研究重点领域包括：(1)用于智能水基础设施应用和消费产品的低成本，实时，流量和水质传感器，以减少水泄漏和防止污染；(2)用于水的新型材料，如无毒杀菌剂涂层、防污和防腐表面、膜和吸收基水过滤材料；(3)去除或破坏饮用水中的污染物，如砷、细菌和多氟烷基物质（PFAS）的使用点水处理系统。UWM网站的研究活动将通过提高产品性能使WEP成员受益，同时还将改善STEM教育，促进创业，吸引代表性不足的学生，并为不断增长的水行业培训未来的劳动力。合作研究的独特资源和能力包括UWM水技术加速器，致力于将研究活动转化为具有先进制造工艺的商业产品；可持续能源与环境纳米技术实验室；以及UWM先进材料制造复合材料中心，该中心创造了新型超疏水和自修复材料。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Clean drinking water and sanitation are economic and policy issues that need to be addressed for sustainable growth of the US economy. A collaboration between University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette University, the IUCRC for Water Equipment and Policy (WEP) provides innovative water technologies and processes to promote advancement of the water industry and conducts research to inform water policy makers. During Phase I and II, WEP has completed nearly 100 pre-competitive research projects in four thrust areas: water sensors, novel materials, innovative treatment systems, and water policy research. Through research, the WEP Center has provided innovative products and solutions to address industrial partners’ unmet/underserved needs in point-of-use technologies, emerging contaminants, sustainability, and energy conservation. In Phase III, the WEP Center aims to capitalize on past success, grow center research through new customer discovery, expand the research team through site additions, continuously refine the technology roadmap, explore new frontiers of water science for break-through technologies, and train a talented workforce to meet the nation’s needs in drinking water quality and wastewater management.The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is the Lead Site of the WEP IUCRC. The UWM site’s research thrust areas include: (1) low-cost, real-time, flow and water quality sensors for smart water infrastructure applications and consumer products that reduces water leaks and prevent contamination; (2) novel materials for water applications, such as non-toxic biocide coatings, anti-fouling and anti-corrosion surfaces, and membrane and absorbent-based water filtration materials; and (3) point-of-use water treatment systems that remove or destroy contaminants in drinking water, such as arsenic, bacteria, and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Research activities at the UWM site will benefit WEP members through improved product performance while also improving STEM education, promoting entrepreneurship, attracting underrepresented students, and training the future workforce for the growing water industry. Unique resources and capabilities for collaborative research include the UWM Water Technology Accelerator which is dedicated to turning research activities into commercial products with advanced fabrication processes; the Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Sustainable Energy and Environment; and the UWM Composites Center for Advanced Materials Manufacturing which creates novel superhydrophobic and self-healing materials.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.