Rose Daily is a graduate student at Michigan Technological University (MTU) simultaneously pursuing an MS degree and PhD degree in environmental engineering. Her research project, which is funded by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), is centered around investigating aqueous destruction methods for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are an emerging class of contaminants that do not naturally degrade in the environment because of their strong carbon-fluorine bonds (one of the strongest bonds in chemistry). Conventional water treatment systems in the United States are also uncapable of breaking down these compounds, and thus a novel treatment approach is necessary. Rose is investigating the feasibility of destroying PFAS compounds via a solvated electron (eaq‑) in the aqueous-phase advanced reduction process (ARP). Using this treatment approach, PFAS are fully degraded into non-harmful byproducts. In addition to investigating this method, Rose is also developing computational tools that can predict the reactivity of thousands of types of PFAS with eaq‑, so they can be prioritized for treatment.
When Rose isn’t working on her PFAS project, she is working on the Sustainability Demonstration House project at MTU. Rose and her team are retrofitting an existing 1950s home into a net-zero energy, zero-waste home that can be used as a tool to educate the community on sustainable living. So far, she and her team have designed and implemented an 8.6 kW solar array with 20 kWh of battery storage, three types of composting systems (outdoor aeration, vermicompost, dehydration), aquaponics, hydroponics, a beehive, a rainwater collection and distribution system, and an in-house plastic recycling system.
During the 2021/2022 academic year, Rose was grateful for the opportunity to live in Costa Rica and work as a research affiliate at Instituto Monteverde. She designed and built a biojardinera at La Escuela Creativa which was used to treat the school’s greywater.
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Given the severe impact of COVID-19 on Monteverde, Costa Rica, a town whose economy relies almost solely on tourism, the community is eager to embrace new forms of sustainability—and you can fund these projects while providing income to people who have lost their jobs during this challenging time. Learn more on the following link: