NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute for FY 2012 in Singapore

Rosado-Lausell Sahid L, Champaign IL

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Sahid L. Rosado Lausell of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to conduct a research project, entitled "Role of sunlight on virus survival in tropical waters," during the summer of 2012 at National University of Singapore in Singapore. The host scientist is Dr. Karina Gin. This research seeks to determine the presence of human pathogenic viruses and their survivability in water environments. Results permit microbial risk assessments in surface waters to be made and contamination prevention strategies to be addressed, to prevent contamination of surface waters by and thereby reduce infections. More importantly, if this research and its techniques are adopted on a global scale, better water quality could be guaranteed to world populations, thus reducing waterborne diseases worldwide. The Broader Impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce.