The Water Technologies for Emerging Regions (WaTER) Center at the University of Oklahoma hosted the Fourth OU International WaTER Conference and International Water Prize Award Ceremony on Sept. 21-23, 2015 in Norman, Oklahoma.
The highlight of the conference was a plenary lecture by and presentation of the fourth OU International Water Prize to Peter Lochery, CARE Director of Water.
The gathering attracted nearly 200 participants from academia, industry, NGOs, governments and foundations representing countries from around the world, all with the coommon goal of bringing water and sanitation to developing regions.
The two-day conference included poster and concurrent paper sessions devoted to all technical and not-technical topics and sectors (e.g., science, engineering, health, anthropology, sociology, business, meteorology, geography, education and cultural issues) relevant to water and sanitation in remote regions of developing countries.
Monday, Sept. 26 and Tuesday, Sept. 27
Virtual Conference
Randall Kolar: Welcome Remarks and Keynote #1
10:45 – 11:30 am CDT Keynote #2
Final Networking for WaTER Conference
Monday, Sept. 26
Banquet | 6:30-9 pm
Workshop #1: “Construction Field Methods in WASH”.
This workshop focused on hands-on instruction of two types of water well drilling – manual and hydraulic; eco-latrine design and construction; biosand filter design and construction; and household-level water treatment. (9 am-Noon; Fears Structural Engineering Lab)
Workshop #2: Social Entrepreneurship Workshop
Conducted by OU's Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth, Oklahoma's leading social innovation economic development organization. It was a hands-on workshop where participants work in teams to develop a model and business plan for a social innovation and entrepreneurship venture, and will be based on CCEW's 5 years of experience launching and consulting on SocEnt ventures. (8 am-Noon; 4 Partners Place)
Emmanouil Anagnostou
University of Connecticut professor of civil and environmental engineering
Braimah Apambire
Director, Center for International Water and Sustainability at the Desert Research Institute
Rafael Callejas
Millennium Water Alliance executive director
Jenna Davis
Stanford University professor of civil and environmental engineering; Woods Iinstitute for the Environment senior fellow
Pawan Labhasetwar
NEERI (India); Head of Water Technology and Management Division
Jan Willem Rosenboom
Gates Foundation, Senior program officer in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy
Since 1995, Peter Lochery has led the expansion of CARE's Water Team strategies to include action, learning, partnership and advocacy.
An environmental engineer with over 30 years WASH experience, Peter has worked in the private sector, most recently CARE, and also with the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program. He currently serves on the board of building Partnerships for Development in Water and Sanitation, Water/WASH Advocates and the Millennium Water Alliance, both of which he was a founding father.
Peter's passions lie in addressing social inequities faced by women and girls, as well as building collaborative relationships with the private sector to expand corporate social responsibility. Peter's humanitarian focus and dedication to affecting profound and lasting improvements in the lives of the works's poor, has guided his work, establishing him as a true leader in the international development field.
Peter was awarded the prestigious OU International Water Prize at the 2015 WaTER Conference to be held Sept. 21-23, 2015.
