Water quality is a high priority among EEE’s research pillars. From contaminants to sustainable processing, EEE students and faculty love investigating this precious resource. Which is why it’s no surprise several of our graduate students found their way to the American Water Works Association (AWWA)’s Water Quality Technology Conference (WQTC) in Schaumburg, Illinois last month.

EEE PhD student Aliya Ehde and master’s students Daniel Ceglio and Stephanie Heffner shared their experiences at the conference and how it made an impact on them and their studies.

ALIYA EHDE

AWWA WQTC provides a great opportunity for students and young professionals to network, present their work, and stay updated on the latest research, technological advancements, and policy geared toward ensuring safe and clean drinking water across the U.S.

In her last year of her Ph.D., Aliya wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to network, seek out potential career opportunities, and share key findings from her research on stagnated water.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, national research studies observed water quality degradation within the stagnated tap water of buildings that were shut down due to stay-at-home orders,” she explains.

“To address the lack of guidance for building owners during such periods, the effectiveness of recommended flushing protocols in improving water quality was investigated using large-sale plumbing infrastructure systems constructed at Purdue University.”

Though initially uncertain, Aliya found that it “felt exciting to share my research with people who were uniquely knowledgeable and passionate about my topic. I was pleasantly surprised with the questions I was asked by the audience and was even approached by a few people afterward to have more in-depth conversations about my work.”

DANIEL CEGLIO

Check out this video about Daniel's EEE Undergrad experience!

Daniel wanted to attend WQTC to soak up knowledge and build connections in the water sector. He is part of Dr. Caitlin Proctor’s lab, which focuses on drinking water microbiology, a relatively niche area with few researchers.

“Going to this conference gave me the opportunity to meet others who do similar work. This gave me new ideas for future research projects, while also making connections to others who may be able to help me with my research.”

STEPHANIE HEFFNER

Stephanie presents her water research to conference attendees.

Stephanie went to WQTC to learn more about different projects and research going on in the water industry. She started conducting research in Dr. Andrew Whelton's lab during her undergrad and has remained there for her master’s degree.

At the conference, Stephanie gave a presentation on her research, which focuses on the fate of chemical and biological contaminants in household plumbing. She works with plumbing systems that have been stagnant for periods of time ranging from a few months to a few years. This is to represent changes in water quality that occur when a house is left vacant, when its up for sale, or when a homeowner is away for a while.

The main perk of the conference for Stephanie was meeting so many other water professionals.

“Dr. Whelton introduced me to people he's worked with, and I got to connect with more people who work at the consulting firm that I'll be working at after graduation. I was also introduced to many new perspectives on different water issues.”

WHY EEE GRADUATE PROGRAM?

Whether our grad students are learning, teaching, or networking, their goals are clear: to better the environment and the world as a whole.

Aliya says, “I chose to pursue a Ph.D. in Environmental and Ecological Engineering because it allows me to combine my interests in engineering, environmental stewardship, and public health to positively contribute to the safety, cleanliness, and accessibility of drinking water. By exploring the chemical and microbial dynamics of drinking water quality impacted by stagnation within building plumbing, I hope to elucidate best building management practices that are sustainable and ensure the continuous health and safety of building occupants.”

Daniel shares, “I chose my current EEE degree because I wanted dedicated water research experience. As an undergrad, I chose EEE because I wanted to "save the world", but choosing to get a master's degree was more personal. Publishing a research paper has always been a goal of mine, and getting a master's will allow me to do that while working with water data, which I find interesting.”

Stephanie says, “I chose to do my undergraduate degree in EEE because I wanted to do work that would benefit the welfare of society. I quickly found a passion for water quality and started doing research in Dr. Whelton's lab. I decided to do a graduate degree in EEE to continue my research and gain more expertise in water quality.”