The grant is administered by the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, & Planetary Science.  The goals of the program are to foster involvement by Purdue students in water related projects in distressed areas by providing travel grants.  It is directed towards water related research or infrastructure building in undeveloped countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, as well as distressed areas in the United States such as Appalachia and Native lands.

The students will be working with Professors Howarter (EEE/MSE) and Jafvert (EEE/CE) on this project.  Slow sand filters remove turbidity (particles) and dissolved organic material from the water, allowing it to be disinfected by less expensive methods than boiling.  Steven and Sydney are members of a Global Design Team (through Purdue’s Global Engineering Program) that has installed slow sand filters at various locations around the world (Colombia, Tanzania, Kenya, and China).  What makes this project different is that the previously installed filters were designed for use in homes or small schools, whereas this project will be designed filters for a larger school.  It will be installed at a rural school near Eldoret, Kenya.  Not only will the students build filters when they arrive in Kenya, but they will also teach a local NGO how to build them.