ALEXANDRIA, VA, May 27, 2014 -- Now accepting pre-proposals under its 2014 Unsolicited Research Program, the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) is funding pioneering research that significantly advances our understanding of today's most pressing water quality issues and provides practical solutions to the challenges facing wastewater and stormwater programs. WERF will also consider proposals that take existing research closer to implementation.
The Unsolicited Research Program supports WERF's mission by funding research projects that can be the catalyst for transforming our understanding of our water resources, our ability to protect and preserve them, and our efforts to minimize impacts on our environment. Proposers are invited to submit pre-proposals on topics consistent with WERF's ongoing efforts to advance science and technology addressing water quality issues as they impact water resources, the atmosphere, the land, and quality of life.
Accordingly, areas of interest include, but are not limited to, conveyance systems; wastewater treatment; reuse; solids management; condition assessment and infrastructure management; energy efficiency; decentralized collection and treatment systems; risk assessment and communication; watershed management and water quality; and other emerging issues.
The 2014 Unsolicited Research Program also encourages submittals of applications to test and evaluate innovative technologies at wastewater and stormwater facilities. The launch and growth of the joint WERF/WEF Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) program has placed an increased emphasis and urgency on moving new technologies into practice and accelerating innovation. LIFT's high priority technology areas currently include: biosolids to energy, energy from wastewater, digestion enhancements, nutrient removal, p-recovery, collection systems, and green infrastructure.
"The Unsolicited Research Program is a critical element of the overall research program conducted by WERF. It benefits our subscribers and adds to the knowledge of the industry in an effort to increase understanding and move technology forward," said Terry Johnson, Ph.D., P.E., chair of WERF Research Council. "Through this program, WERF annually solicits innovative research projects, which address needs of the wastewater sector. This exciting event is ready to kick off for 2014, and considered pre-proposals will continue the worthwhile legacy of this program."
Visit WERF's website (click here) to search for a list of ongoing, completed and planned research, as this will help proposers avoid duplication. The call for pre-proposals and complete instructions are available online at http://www.werf.org/funding. Further, contact Senior Program Director Amit Pramanik at 571-384-2101 or [email protected] for additional information. All pre-proposals are due in WERF's offices by 5 p.m. EDT, Thursday, July 17, 2014.
See also:
"WERF to fund new water quality research through Unsolicited Research Program"
"WERF acceptance of pre-proposals for 2013 Unsolicited Water Research Program"
About WERF
The Water Environment Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed in 1989, is America's leading independent scientific research organization dedicated to wastewater and stormwater issues. For more information, visit www.werf.org.
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