Pursuit of engineering Ph.D. aided by awards
<p>Darryl Jones, who will begin pursuing his doctorate in engineering at ASU this fall, has won the prestigious 2009 Larson Aquatic Research Support (LARS) scholarship for doctoral students.</p><separator></separator><p>The $7,000 scholarship, named after water chemist and researcher Thurston E. "Lars" Larson, is awarded by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) based on academic excellence and potential to provide leadership in fields relating to water chemistry.</p><separator></separator><p>The scholarship is awarded to only one doctoral student nationally each year.</p><separator></separator><p>The award will aid Jones in beginning studies and research this fall on water treatment and environmental chemistry under the direction of Paul Westerhoff, interim director of the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment.</p><separator></separator><p>This summer Jones completed a master's degree in environmental engineering at Clemson University under the direction of Tanju Karanfil, professor and chair of the department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. His research focused on understanding the formation and control of emerging disinfection by-products in drinking water treatment processes.</p><separator></separator><p>His academic and research record has also helped him earn a $25,000 Dean's Fellowship Award – the top award offered to incoming doctoral students by the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering – and a $4,000 University Graduate Fellowship from the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment.</p><separator></separator><p>The LARS scholarship is widely recognized in the drinking water field. During a career lasting almost five decades, Larson made numerous scientific contributions in diverse areas, including corrosion control, treatment and distribution of domestic and industrial water supplies, aquatic chemistry, analytical chemistry and environmental chemistry.</p><separator></separator><p>Applicants for the scholarship were evaluated by a committee with representatives from the AWWA’s University Student Activities Committee, the American Chemical Society and the Aquatic Chemistry Section of the Illinois State Water Survey. About 20 students from throughout the nation applied for this year’s scholarship.</p><separator></separator><p>Jones was presented with the award this summer at the AWWA annual conference in San Diego.</p>