William Maher's Individual Contributions Page

Spring 2011 Stacked Rapid Sand Filtration Team

Now that we have proven the basic concept of stacked filtration, there are a number of practical questions that must be addressed as the system moves towards full-scale design and implementation. Our experiments this semester focus on design and operational issues for the SRSF in advance of its first full-scale trial.

Spring 2010 Outreach Team

I presented a powerpoint and conducted a Q&A for the purpose of recruitment to CEE/ENGRI 1130.

I helped confirm the pledge of a large donation from Viamericas by contributing ideas for the partnership, writing, and editing the powerpoint proposal. I checked the funding plan with Dan Smith of APP before sending the proposal to the Viamericas CEO.

I contacted Fred Proby, the water specialist for Lifewater International, a development NGO, and discussed the possibility of forming a partnership. I emailed him a basic proposal, followed-up twice, and am waiting for feedback.

I organized the fundraising concert event at The Nines in Collegetown. I booked the venue and talent and negotiated the fundraiser terms with the venue management. I commissioned and distributed promotional material and publicized the event around campus and online. I organized outreach team members and other volunteers to sell advance tickets and distribute promotional material. The event was successful, raising awareness of the project amongst students and $460 for APP.

I wrote a press release about the EPA P3 Award and submitted it to the Cornell Chronicle, the College of Engineering Sundial Newsletter, the Cornell Press Relations unit, the Cornell Publications & Marketing unit, the Cornell Daily Sun, and the ASCE newsletter and magazine. The press release was also sent to the Ithaca Times and Ithaca Journal. The Cornell Chronicle published the story: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/May10/AguaClaraPrize.html

I completed and submitted the application for the CGI U Outstanding Commitment Award and associated grant.

I submitted an email inquiry to Water.org, a development NGO. They do not form partnerships with engineering interests but gave a list of their general contractors and suggested that I contact each individually. I submitted inquiries to 17 development NGOs in Kenya, India, Ghana, Honduras, and Ethiopia.