YP Connections - Water Environment Federation

PAGE 10YP CONNECTIONSA STORY OF SIX SUCCESSFUL YEARS HOSTING A CONFERENCEBy WEF Student ChaptersThe 6 th Annual Student EnvironmentalPrairie Conference was successfullyorganized by South DakotaState University (SDSU) Water EnvironmentFederation (WEF) StudentChapter on SDSU campus inBrookings, SD on August 6-8, 2012.The conference has completed 6successful years and expanded fromtwo universities in the first year(2007) to four this year.The idea was initially coined bygraduate students from the Universityof Manitoba (U of M) and NorthDakota State University (NDSU) tocreate a meeting of graduate studentsfrom both the universities andexchanging their research ideas.With further brainstorming withlaboratory colleagues and their advisors,the “First Student Joint Conference”was proposed to be organizedby U of M in Winnipeg, Canada.Students from NDSU crossed theinternational border to meet theirpeers from U of M. For the next twodays, students from both the universitiespresented their work in frontof an audience that was studentdominated with a few professors fromeach of the universities, and professionalswho have externally supported theconference.The conference continued in the followingyear, hosted by NDSU AmericanWater Works Association(AWWA)/WEF Student Chapter andwas expanded to three universitieswith the addition of SDSU. With supportand advice from its predecessors,SDSU hosted the 3 rd Annual Conferencein August 2009. A conferenceworking committee (CWC) wasformed with two student members anda faculty advisor from each studentchapter during this year. The goal ofthe CWC was to enable a smooth transitionof the conference for the followingyear organizing committee and toprovide a continuous progress and enhancementof the conference. The conferencehas constantly grown everyyear and expanded with increase innumber of participating universities,attendees and presenters. The numberof participating universities has furtherincreased to four in 2012 with the additionof University of North Dakota(UND).Every year, the organizers of this conferencehave brought innovative ways tosocialize in addition to exchange researchideas through technical presentations.Various networking events havebeen introduced, including a cruise onthe Red River, Red Hawks game, and akickball tournament/volleyball-likeinnovative game. These additionalevents have built a unique platform forthe students and YPs to develop professionalrelations and share experiences.Several past student attendees of thisconference have directly or indirectlybenefited from both technical and socialactivities. Some of the past attendees,who are now the YPs, are still involvedin the conference to guide the currentconference organizers and to share theirinitial experiences in the environmentalindustry.The idea of this conference is innovativeand has proven to be beneficial to studentsand YPs. The concept of a localconference can be implemented in otherparts of the country with nearby universities.Interested student chapters inother universities can contact the advisorsof any of the above three StudentChapters for further information.Continued on Page 11By Sonali AmbreThe second USA Science and EngineeringFestival was held at theConvention Center in Washington,D.C. on April 28 th and 29 th . At thefestival there were more than 3,000interactive, fun exhibits from variousscience and engineering organizationswith the goal of engagingthe general public and generatingscientific excitement and awareness.Members of VWEA and AWWAVA Joint Young Professionals Committeepresented at the Water En-vironmental Federation boothtitled – Sewer Science Program. Ingeneral, YP members explained tofestival visitors how the waterdrained from their sinks, bathroomsetc. goes to a wastewatertreatment plant. Visitors to thebooth also received informationon the various treatment processesused at wastewater treatmentplants to treat wastewater prior toits discharge back into the environment.Visitors were also educatedabout the relevance of pH inwater chemistry and were provid-YPUPDATES