BLUELab India, a student project recently awarded with $5,000 in seed funding via the Dow Distinguished Awards for Interdisciplinary Sustainability at the University of Michigan—is examining water access and contamination issues in the Gujarati province of India, with the goal of helping to assure that every household in the area has access to clean, filtered water.
The project kicked off in January 2014, when students began designing and constructing their own ceramic water filters. Activity is now in full swing, with students overseas meeting with villagers and conducting ethnographic and scientific research to understand cultural norms and water conditions of the community. They are also holding educational workshops with community members.
"By teaching community members about the necessity of clean water and how to attain it, we can ensure they will be able to continue with clean water practices," said the students about their project.
Students involved this multi-faceted, long-term project include those from Literature, Science, & the Arts (LSA), the School of Art & Design, and the College of Engineering. The team has a plan for accomplishing project objectives in incremental stages over the course of five years. To learn more—and to track the team's progress and activities—visit the BLUELab India blog.
The Dow Distinguished Awards Program is part of the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program, which is administered by U-M's Graham Sustainability Institute. The program is accepting proposals for additional student-led sustainability project ideas through August 1, 2014 (or until 20 projects are funded, whichever comes first).