News

2011.04.21
Several KU Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) students won scholarships from the Kansas Water Environment Association (KWEA) this year:

• Matt Hiatt, a CE senior who has worked with Dr. Sturm for two years, received first place in the Kansas Water Environment Federation statewide student poster competition. He received a cash prize of $400 and a travel grant of $750 to attend the national WEFTEC conference in Los Angeles in October. Matt’s research pertains to algal biomass production in bioreactors for biofuel feedstocks.
• Reuben Dermyer, a Water Resources masters student working with Dr. Sturm, received second place in the above competition. His research pertains to modeling irrigation water demand and availability from the High Plains aquifer. He received a cash prize of $200.
• Sarah Eberhart, a CE junior, received a KWEA scholarship of $750 to support her studies.

2011.02.17
Outstanding graduate students from three Kansas research universities discussed their work and how it benefits Kansans during the eighth annual Capitol Graduate Research Summit. Among the students was environmental science PhD student Lindsey Witthaus, who is researching water quality in Kansas. Witthaus is utilizing an interdisciplinary methodology that incorporates environmental engineering, ecology, geography and social sciences to gain a greater understanding of model inputs. Her work will also help policy makers appreciate how models can be used to guide environmental policy in Kansas. She is researching “Validation and Calibration of the EUTROMOD Model for Kansas Reservoirs.” Her project advisers are Dr. Sturm, and Val H. Smith, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. Click here to read more.

2010.11.17
Jody Gentry, one of Dr. Sturm's PhD students in Environmental Engineering, was inducted into the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars. The Phi Beta Delta Honor Society was founded in 1986 and was the first honor society dedicated to recognizing scholarly achievement in international education. Phi Beta Delta is an academic and professional society, unique because it is resolutely interdisciplinary and international. Its formal organization brought together numerous pre-existing internally-oriented campus groups. Its goals are:

• to recognize the scholarly achievement of international students and scholars, who have studied abroad and faculty and staff who are involved in international activities;
• to serve as a vehicle for the development of academic-based international programming;
• to provide a network on each campus of faculty, staff and students involved in international endeavors; and
• to extend this network to thousands of members in chapters throughout the world.

2010.08
Two of Dr. Sturm's students, Bob Everhart, a PhD student in Environmental Engineering, and Lindsey Witthaus, a PhD student in Environmental Science, received NSF GK-12 fellowships for the 2010-2011 academic year. Bob is working with the eighth grade earth science class at Coronado Middle School in Kansas City, KS, bringing research science into the classroom. Lindsey is helping the students in a sixth grade life science class at French Middle School in Topeka, KS receive hands-on scientific experience.

2010.08
Lindsey Witthaus, an Environmental Science PhD student, became an NSF IGERT fellow, joining Jodi Gentry, in the program. Both are PhD students with Dr. Sturm.

2010.05.23
Jodi Gentry, a PhD student in CEAE with Dr. Craig Adams and Dr. Sturm, was one of 10 winners in the National Science Foundation’s 2010 IGERT Trainee Poster Competition held May 23-25, 2010 in Washington, DC. Winners received a $3000 supplement to their IGERT to be used as travel funds for a workshop, conference, or field experience of their choice associated with their research topic. Jodi's poster “Impact of a Changing Climate on Sanitation in the Arctic” is part of the project: IGERT: C-CHANGE: Climate Change, Humans, and Nature in the Global Environment.

2010.04.29
Several CEAE students won scholarships from the Kansas Water Environment Association (KWEA) this year: Amanda Green ($500), Rahul Desai ($500), and Lindsey Witthaus ($1,000, Shirley Coles Memorial Award). Students also received awards in the poster competition: Ryan Coiner (First place overall, $400 cash prize and $750 to support his attendance at the national Water Environment Federation conference in October (WEFTEC), where he will compete), Xiaolu Chen (Second place, $200), and Matt Hiatt (Third place, $100). Other KU students that presented were: Bob Everhart and Aaron King.

2009.11.09
Dr. Sturm's Algae to Biodiesel Project is in the news.