Contact Information: Shannan Beisser, beisser.shannan@epa.gov, 816-520-1949

LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 2, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a total of $498,801 in research funding to five college teams to further develop their innovative technologies to help address urgent environmental and public health challenges.

Winning projects address high-priority issues, such as developing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free alternatives and ensuring cleaner water by reducing lead, microplastics, and nutrient runoff.

This announcement includes $100,000 to University of Missouri students to tackle PFAS contamination. Led by researchers Maria Fidalgo and Chung-Ho Lin, the project – which was awarded a $25,000 EPA grant in 2022 – aims to develop a stand-alone, low-cost drinking water treatment system that removes PFAS.

“Congratulations to the University of Missouri team for winning this award to continue tackling the critical environmental issue of PFAS contamination in drinking water,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “The research happening right here in our region has the potential to improve drinking water quality for affected individuals across the country, and we’re cheering on this important work.”

The awards are part of EPA’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) program. The student teams are receiving Phase II awards as part of the 18th annual P3 competition. Awardees previously received a one-year grant of up to $25,000 for Phase I to develop their ideas. The teams highlighted today successfully competed for a Phase II grant of up to $100,000 to implement their designs in a real-world setting.

To learn about other 18th annual P3 Phase II award winners, visit this project list.

Learn more about EPA's P3 program.

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Learn more about EPA Region 7