I've set up this blog to help the Inventor's Club follow and contribute to the progress of their 2009 project.
Eventually, we need to carefully organize the project goals, decide what exactly you want to do, carry out the project, review our results and draw conclusions about the efficacy of our invention.
The project this year will be to design a cost-effective device for reclaiming waste nutrient from shrimp aquaculture ponds effluent canals and then reintroduce that nutrient back into shrimp ponds in a form that is an effective, economical, and safe juvenile shrimp feed. Shrimp aquaculture is a multi-billion dollar industry world wide. The need for cost effective ways to clean waste effluents is a global one, with implications for ecosystems all over the world. Other industries, such as the septic waste treatment plants face similar challenges and could benefit from this work as well.
Tomorrow I'll submit a grant for some financial help. We'll find out if we get it during the third week of January. It would be nice to have a little money to focus specifically on this project, but even if we don't get the grant there's plenty we can do. I'll be traveling to Belize in February and can set up the project during that month and April. We'll merge this work with the project I'm already doing through the ecocertification project of the World Wildlife Fund.
Elizabeth indicated that the group was in favor of working with the environmental biology students at Independence High School. They're an energetic group and they have a good grasp of the situation in Belize and at the shrimp farms. They'll be great collaborators. Over time we may identify other partners as well.
Keep in mind this project is global in nature. Quite a few people might drop in on us over time. You might be surprised who shows up. Let's keep in mind that we are representing the school and ourselves as budding scientists. So let's have fun but keep the tone positive and respectful.
I'll lay out some ground rules as we go. Mr. Bergandine will have some conditions as well I'm sure.
If any one has comments or questions, don't be shy. We'll need a healthy exchange to make this work!
This sounds really great.
ReplyDeleteRecently, we had a speaker come from U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment speak to us about her work. She did work with arsenic and nitrate and how she came up with solutions to filter the water from those contaminants. She might be helpful sometime.
This looks great. Can you tell us more about Independence High School?
ReplyDeleteAllen, yes, those would be good people to get to drop by. I'll drop hints to other people who might enjoy interacting with us as well.
ReplyDeleteAmy, Independence High School is located in Independence Village, Belize. The school started in 1988 and it provides forms (same as grades) for the high school level and 2 years of Jr. College. I've been out with the students from there twice. They're a friendly, smart group. The environmental biology students specifically study these kinds of issues. Some of them are planning to make biology their major field of study. Most of the people planting mangroves at the shrimp farm are Independence High School students.