Grantee Research Project Results

Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) for Idaho

EPA Grant Number: R827683E01
Title: Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) for Idaho
Investigators: Crawford, Ronald L.
Institution: University of Idaho
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: August 15, 1999 through August 14, 2002
Project Amount: $39,352
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)

Objective:

Idaho's Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) aimed to improve research competitiveness of Idaho researchers by identifying and developing research capabilities in areas where Idaho universities have a critical mass of talented faculty and to give these faculty sufficient financial and infrastructure support so that they may compete successfully for federal research dollars and attain national stature in their disciplines. The chosen area for this project was drinking water quality, specifically related to contamination of water by pathogenic bacteria and arsenic.

Approach:

Specific efforts were aimed at recruiting graduate students from national pools of outstanding candidates, recruiting women and minorities for Idaho's science and engineering programs, and rewarding nationally competitive faculty with incentives to encourage them to remain in Idaho. The Idaho SIP was implemented by developing researchers paired with nationally competitive senior investigators as mentors, by expanding interactions with regional federal research facilities and other universities and through recruitment of outstanding graduate students.

Expected Results:

Developing specifically targeted S&E research capabilities will simultaneously improve S&E education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and provide trained professionals for the nation's environmental industries. We expect improvements in the numbers of proposals written and funded, papers published in peer-reviewed journals, outstanding graduate students recruited; graduate degrees awarded, and participation of women and minorities in Idaho S&E activities.

Improvements in Risk Assessment or Risk Management: The specific research planned in relation to this SIP will provide technology to protect citizens against the present reality and dangers of chronic arsenic poisoning and will improve our ability to estimate the level of contamination of drinking water supplies by pathogenic microorganisms.

Supplemental Keywords:

drinking water, arsenic, pathogenic bacteria, water treatment, pollution abatement, Idaho, EPA Region 10., RFA, Scientific Discipline, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Geographic Area, Water, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Ecological Risk Assessment, Physical Processes, State, Arsenic, Biochemistry, Microorganisms, Drinking Water, Ecology and Ecosystems, Environmental Monitoring, Water Pollutants, community water system, agricultrual environment, water quality, Idaho (ID), strategic improvement plan, fecal contamination, pathogens, exposure, drinking water system, drinking water contaminants, environmental chemistry, arsenic exposure

Progress and Final Reports:

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.