New York State Student Wins National SJWP Prize for Fracking Research

Kunal Sangani won the 2012 Stockholm Junior Water Prize for the United States. Photo courtesy of Allison O’Brien. Click for larger image.

Kunal Sangani of Fayetteville, N.Y., is the U.S. winner of the 2012 Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP). Sangani won for his project “Modeling and Environmental Analysis of Hydraulic Fracturing in Upstate New York.” He was among 49 state SJWP winners at the national competition, which was held in Boston June 14–16.

For the project, Sangani examined various aspects of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) on groundwater resources in upstate New York and presented a model for understanding its potential effects on the natural environment and groundwater resources.

For winning, Sangani receives $3000 and an all-expenses paid trip to Stockholm, where he will compete against national winners from more than 30 countries for the international SJWP prize in August. He also will have the opportunity to present his research at WEFTEC^® 2012, to be held Sept. 29–Oct. 3 in New Orleans. Sangani’s school, Fayetteville–Manlius (N.Y.) High School, will receive a $1000 grant to be used for enhancing water science education.

	Above, WEF President-Elect Cordell Samuels (left) and Xylem Watermark Director Michael Fields (right) stand with U.S. SJWP winners, from left, Natalie Ng, Taide Ding, Kunal Sangani, and Ajay Krishnan. Left, Sydney-Alyce Bourget received the Bjorn von Euler Innovation in Water scholarship. Photos courtesy of Allison O’Brien. Click for larger images.

Additionally, U.S. finalists Natalie Ng of Cupertino, Calif.; Taide Ding of Oxford, Miss.; and Ajay Krishnan of Portland, Ore., each received a $1000 award. And Sydney–Alyce Bourget of Jonesboro, Ga., received the $1000 Bjorn von Euler Innovation in Water Scholarship for her project “The Chronic Toxicity of Acetaminophen on Daphnia magna.”

SJWP is an international competition for water-related research administered by the Stockholm International Water Institute and sponsored by Xylem Inc. (White Plains, N.Y.). The Water Environment Federation (Alexandria, Va.) sponsors the U.S. SJWP with support from Xylem and The Coca-Cola Co. (Atlanta). The New England Water Environment Association (Woburn, Mass.) hosted the 2012 U.S. competition, and Sangani received sponsorship from the New York Water Environment Association (Syracuse).