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。作为威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校和马奎特大学的合作项目，IUCRC水设备和政策(WEP)提供创新的水技术和流程，以促进水行业的进步，并进行研究，为水政策制定者提供信息。在第一和第二阶段，WEP在四个主要领域完成了近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，以满足工业合作伙伴在使用点技术、新污染物、可持续性和节能方面未得到满足/未得到充分满足的需求。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，通过增加站点来扩大研究团队，不断完善技术路线图，探索水科学的新前沿，以实现突破性技术，并培养一支人才队伍，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-密尔沃基大学(UWM)是WEP IUCRC的牵头站点。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、低成本的流量和水质传感器，以减少漏水和防止污染；(2)用于水应用的新型材料，如无毒杀生涂层、防污防腐蚀表面，以及基于膜和吸收剂的水过滤材料；以及(3)消除或摧毁饮用水中污染物，如砷、细菌和多氟烷基物质(PFAS)的使用点水处理系统。WWM网站的研究活动将使WEP成员受益，因为它改善了产品性能，同时还改善了STEM教育，促进了创业，吸引了代表不足的学生，并为不断增长的水务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，该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；可持续能源和环境纳米技术实验室；以及UWM复合材料先进材料制造中心，该中心创造了新型超疏水和自我修复材料。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.