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U.S. Takes Top Prize at Prestigious International Youth Water Science Competition

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American high school student, Joyce Chai ofRancho Palos Verdes, Calif., has been named the international winner of the 2008 Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) - the most prestigious international youth competition for water-related research. Chai received $5,000 and a crystal sculpture from HRH Crown Princess Victoria ofSweden during a royal ceremony on Tuesday, August 19th inStockholm.

The student's work, "Modeling the Toxic Effects of Silver Nanoparticles under Varying Environmental Conditions," demonstrated a novel technique to quantifying the potential toxicity of silver nanoparticles to the world's water sources and the environment as well as repudiated the assertion that consumer products that contain nanosilver are more reliable and less environmentally hazardous.

Representingthe United States, Chai competed against national winners from more than 30 countries at the international competition which is held every August in conjunction with the Stockholm Water Symposium during World Water Week inSweden. Earlier this year, Chai was named the winner of the U.S. SJWP competition which is organized by the Water Environment Federation and sponsored by ITT Corporation (also the international sponsor), The Coca-Cola Company, and Delta Air Lines.

As the U.S. winner, the student from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School inRolling Hills Estates, Calif., received $3,000 (USD) and an all-expense-paid trip toStockholm for the international competition. In addition, Chai's school received a $1,000 grant toward enhancing water science education and she will present her research to more than 18,000 water quality professionals at WEFTEC(R).08 - the Water Environment Federation's 81st annual technical exhibition and conference - this October inChicago, Ill.

For more information about the international SJWP competition, World Water Week and to download abstracts from Chai and the 2008 finalists, please visit www.worldwaterweek.org. To learn more about the U.S. SJWP competition, please visit www.wef.org.

About WEF

Formed in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with 35,000 individual members and 81 affiliated Member Associations representing an additional 50,000 water quality professionals throughout the world. WEF and its Member Associations proudly work to achieve our mission of preserving and enhancing the global water environment.

SOURCE Water Environment Federation

Tags: ,ENV,EDU,NPT,VA-Water-Science-awd

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