Five students from Missouri University of Science and Technology will compete in the national finals of the Metcalf and Eddy Academic Design Contest. The Missouri S&T team will fly to New York on Wednesday, May 13, to square off against the defending champion University of Wisconsin. This is the first time Missouri S&T has participated in the competition.

For the competition, the Missouri S&T team developed plans to upgrade an existing wastewater treatment facility in order to extend the life of the plant and meet newly implemented effluent standards.

The biggest challenges the team faced were the limitation on the land area available for the plant upgrade and the stringent effluent standards. However, the team had an advantage in its design using novel technology developed by Dr. Jianmin Wang, assistant professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering and advisor to the design team. His technology allowed the team to maximize use of the existing tank space by enhancing the biomass retention with very minimal tank modifications.

“The chance to experience a competitive, comprehensive design and bid process has been very educational,” says team leader Gavin Risley, a senior in environmental engineering from Baylis, Ill. “We have enjoyed being able to work as a hard-working and knowledgeable team.”

“Our students in both teams have performed extremely well, and I am very pleased with the outcome,” adds Wang.

Members of the Missouri S&T team include Elizabeth Babb, a senior in environmental engineering from Benton, Ky.; Hannah Bruce, a senior in environmental engineering from Saltillo, Miss.; Richard Childers, a graduate student in environmental engineering from St. Robert, Mo.; and Eleanor Gillis, a graduate student in environmental engineering from St. Robert, Mo.

A total of 16 teams from 10 different universities participated in the competition, including two from Missouri S&T. The second team was also selected as one of the top five teams.