UA SBRP Student David Stone Receives 2007 University of Arizona Student Technology Innovation Award

Congratulations to graduate student David Stone who was awarded the 2007 University of Arizona Student Technology Innovation Award for his iron chemistry research. David is a graduate student working in Dr. Joan Curry’s laboratory in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona. David’s investigations led to discovering a way to aggregate industrial wastes like steel powders from foundries, fly ash from power plants, organic sludge from refineries, and contaminated discharge waters (including arsenic).  This aggregate material hardens upon exposure to carbon dioxide, which is absorbed and permanently trapped within the mineral matrix. The result is an iron carbonate composite that can have greater strength than Portland cement, and can function more effectively under certain extreme conditions.  David and the University of Arizona have a provisional patent on his material and expect the final patent to be filed soon.

The Student Technology Award recognizes University of Arizona students who have excelled in a technology related internship, independent study, or research position. This can be the result of contributing to the development of a new technology, research that enhances an existing technology, or work that contributes to the commercialization of a new technology.

Permitted to select only one student, a panel of judges consisting of The University of Arizona faculty, staff, and Tucson business leadership reviewed the nominations and selected David’s project among many. He was presented the award, which included a $1,000 scholarship, at the Technology Innovation Awards Luncheon held Tuesday, March 27, 2007.

Please join the UA SBRP in congratulating David Stone for his innovative and creative research that is currently supported by the NIEHS SBRP. David has created a transferable technology that, when applied, will improve the environment and human health.