Mercer Island, WA Student Earns National EPA Recognition for Agriculture Project
MAY 17, 2022 - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that two high school students -- Josephine “Josie” Barber, a junior at Mercer Island High School, Mercer Island, Washington and Mason Sufnarski, a senior at Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw -- earned an honorable mentions for their joint project, “Sustainable Subsistence: A Low-Cost Method of Greywater Recycling for Hydroponic Agriculture.” Josie and Mason entered their project to EPA’s national Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award competition.
“The International Science and Engineering Fair celebrates the scientific curiosity and achievement of the next generation of scientists, engineers and researchers,” said Maureen Gwinn, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are proud to recognize these young innovators who are using science to address current and emerging environmental issues; congratulations to all the finalists!”
While visiting family in South Africa, Josie Barber learned more about water scarcity in rural parts of the community and developed a collaborative project with Mason Sufnarski that sought an equitable solution to help communities deal with lower water availability, which impacts the soil acidity and causes major food shortages. Their three-part project focused on greywater recycling and using locally available organic materials to filter recycled greywater; evaluating if the “Kratky Method” of hydroponics was viable for their approach; and then developing, designing, and building a prototype greywater recycling hydroponic distribution modular device made from commonly found plumbing parts as their proposed solution for technological equity and low-cost sustainable agriculture.
Since 2009, EPA has participated in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) recognizing projects that demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability and stewardship with the EPA Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award. The EPA Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award provides for the winning students to travel to attend and participate in the EPA’s National Sustainability Design Expo. The Expo features the university and college student teams from our P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet Program which also encourages innovative designs applying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to address an environmental challenge. Regeneron ISEF brings together student scientists and engineers from around the world. Created and produced by the Society for Science & the Public, Regeneron ISEF in 2022 featured ISEF student finalists in-person and virtually. This year 1,750 high school students from 63 countries, regions and territories, presented their independent research at the Regeneron ISEF competition for approximately $8 million in awards and scholarships.
“Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award from the Environmental Protection Agency at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair,” said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the Society for Science and Publisher of Science News, the organization that founded and produces ISEF. “I am impressed by the scientific research, strength of character and extraordinary innovation evident at Regeneron ISEF 2022.”
More information about this year’s winners and the Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award.
More information about EPA’s participation in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and past winners of the Patrick H. Hurd Award.
More information about the Regeneron ISEF.
More information about EPA’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability.