Water Resources Research Center

For each of the last three years (2009-2011) the National Science Foundation (NSF) made it possible for undergraduate and graduate students to receive international exposure to science and engineering through its International Research Experience for Students (IRES) program.The University of Hawaii received funds through the program that enabled four US students each year to spend the summer at the University of Applied Sciences at Dresden during which time they visited the Dusseldorf Waterworks and other sites in northern Germany pertaining to riverbank filtration.

A stipend: $4,800 over 8 weeks
A living allowance: $250/week
Roundtrip airfare
Bench fees for lab/library work, internal project travel in Germany.

Research focus: The students concentrated on the topic of riverbank filtration (RBF), how it operates, what are the benefits of riverbank filtration, how models are used to manage such systems, what can be done to optimize the operation of such systems, and how water utilities use riverbank filtration to remove common pollutants found in rivers. The 2011 program focused on the effects of temperature on the degradation of contaminants in RBF systems.

The IRES program is currently on hiatus, however it is anticipated that it will be reinstituted by the NSF at some point in the near future. At that time WRRC will probably be applying for another grant under this program given the positive experience enjoyed by our student participants and faculty alike.

Click on the links to the left to learn about each years activities and participants.