18 AUGUST Special Seminar • After the Fire: The Importance of Scientific Support in Protecting Health and Recovery by Dr. Andrew J. Whelton (Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana). Location: Saunders Hall 443 and Zoom (register for Zoom here).
15 SEPTEMBER • Reinventing the Toilet for Global Sanitation: The NEWgenerator Resource Recovery Machine by Dr. Daniel Yeh (Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida). Location: Holmes Hall 244 and Zoom (register for Zoom here).
29 SEPTEMBER • TBA Mālama Pu‘uloa: Fostering Innovative Collaboration to Restore Pearl Harbor to Abundance by Ms. Sandy Ward (Executive Director for Hui o Ho‘ohonua 501(c)3 Community Non-Profit). Location: Zoom (register for Zoom here).
13 OCTOBER • TBA An Engineering Solution to Restoring Wai: Kānewai Spring and Kalauha‘iha‘i Fishpond by Mr. Chris Cramer (Executive Director at Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center) and Ms. Hina Ioane (Chaminade University of Honolulu). Location: Zoom (register for Zoom here).
27 OCTOBER • Impacts of Physical Stressors on Groundwater Flow and Transport Processes by Dr. Xiaolong (Leo) Geng (WRRC and Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Hawai‘i) Location: Zoom (register for Zoom here).
17 NOVEMBER • TBA Environmental Justice Through the Lens of Coastal Health by Dr. Eileen Nalley (Ocean and Coastal Ecosystem Health Specialist at University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant). Location: Zoom (register for Zoom here). Please note: Due to the holiday, the event has been rescheduled to Friday, April 14 at 2pm HST.
8 DECEMBER • TBA The Consequences of Groundwater Withdrawals and their Implications for Sustainable Yield in Hawai‘i by Dr. Scot Izuka (USGS Pacific Islands Water Science Center). Location: Zoom (register for Zoom here).
Please check back in Fall 2023 for the upcoming seminars.
For more information about the Fall 2023 WRRC Seminars, please contact: Zhiyue Wang, zhiyue@hawaii.edu
If interested in joining the seminar, please contact: wrrc@hawaii.edu
Reinventing the Toilet for Global Sanitation: The NEWgenerator Resource Recovery Machine
Speaker: Dr. Daniel Yeh
Date: September 15, 2023 (2:00 pm, HST)
This presentation is part of the AAEES Kappe Lecture series
Billions of people worldwide suffer from poor sanitation due to a lack of wastewater infrastructure. With high capital expenditure and operational expenditure, the conventional approach of centralized wastewater treatment plants served by an extensive sewer system is not an option for many communities. A new classification of modular and pre-fabricated non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS, ISO 30500) has been introduced as an onsite micro-infrastructure alternative. Developed at the University of South Florida, the NEWgenerator is a solar-powered, modular, automated wastewater treatment and recycling system capable of operating independently from grid power, piped water, and sewer. The core technology within the NEWgenerator is the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), capable of handling a wide range of wastewater strengths, intermittent flows, and prolonged shutdowns. The value proposition of the NEWgenerator is that it makes flush toilets possible in off-grid, remote locations. The NEWgenerator was a recipient of the 5th Cade Museum Prize for Innovation and the 2020 USPTO Patents for Humanity Award. This presentation will follow the two-decade journey of the NEWgenerator from concept to development to commercialization, including extended field trials in India (Kerala) and South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal). The presentation will also highlight potential use of the NEWgenerator to help tackle cesspool conversion in Hawaii and other islands.
Special WRRC Seminar
After the Fire: The Importance of Scientific Support in Protecting Health and Recovery
Speaker: Dr. Andrew J. Whelton
Date: August 18, 2023 (12:30 pm, HST)
In response to the Maui wildfires and the probable contamination of water infrastructure, Dr. Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana, was invited by UH WRRC to help us understand and address this important topic. Water safety and scientific support lessons from past wildfires including the 2018 Camp Fire (CA), 2020 Oregon Fires, 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire (CA), 2021 Marshall Fire (CO), and 2022 Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire (NM) will also be discussed.