University of Arizona Helps Pave the Way to Intriguing International Sustainability Solutions / EPA awards nearly $1M in grant funding

Release date: 11/13/2008

Contact Information: Margot Perez-Sullivan, 415.947.4149, Perezsullivan.margot@epa.gov

SAN FRANCISCO – Students at the University of Arizona are delving into two student-led research projects that offer promising environmental solutions for the future. The innovative research is thanks to the EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) program, which demonstrates that protecting the environment can also be economically profitable.

“The beauty of the People, Prosperity and the Planet program is that it harnesses one of our most abundant natural resources: student brain power,” said Dr. George Gray, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “Through innovation and creativity, these student teams turn environmental challenges into opportunities that protect the environment, build new businesses, and create new careers.”

The P3 program also provides key technical assistance in moving the developed and developing world toward sustainability. The EPA has awarded 43 P3 grants for a total of $880,000 to student teams representing 40 universities in 24 states. The current cycle of awardees includes the following grants to the University of Arizona:

Institution	EPA Grant Number	Project Title
University of Arizona	SU833908	Development of Sustainable Integrated Aquaculture Systems With Assessment of Environmental, Social, and Economic Implications
University of Arizona	SU833914	User-friendly Solar Ovens for Outdoor and Indoor Use

An American Association for the Advancement of Science panel will evaluate the projects and make recommendations to EPA, who will choose the winners for the next phase of the P3 awards cycle. The P3 Award includes the possibility of additional funding up to $75,000 that gives students an opportunity to further develop their sustainable designs and move them to the marketplace. The next P3 Award Competition will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of the National Sustainable Design Expo, April 18-20, 2009.

Information about all of the P3 winners and their projects:
http://www.epa.gov/ncer/p3/current/index.html

More about EPA’s P3 Award program: http://www.epa.gov/p3/.
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