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Fresh Ideas Program

 

Fresh Ideas Program

The Fresh Ideas Program is for Young Professionals who are first time technical session presenters at the OWWA/OMWA Joint Annual Conference. If you have previously presented at another AWWA/OWWA/WEF/WEAO conference, you are still eligible as a ‘first time presenter’ at the OWWA OMWA Joint Annual Conference. Other criteria include:

  • Candidates should have less than 10 years work experience or are under the age of 35

  • The work presented cannot be produced as part of a PhD, Master’s, or undergraduate thesis

  • Candidates will be required to fill out a questionnaire following their acceptance as a presenter for the Annual Conference to determine eligibility


Once accepted, all presentations in the Fresh Ideas Program will be evaluated by a panel of industry professionals based on the following criteria which are equally weighted:

  • Technical Content

  • Benefit to the Drinking Water Industry

  • Oral Presentation Skills

  • Organization and Impression


The two best presentations (winner & runner-up) will be selected by the panel, and will be announced at the OWWA Conference Banquet. In the event the winner is unable to attend ACE the runner-up will be given that opportunity.

The winner (or runner-up) is guaranteed an opportunity to compete in the Fresh Ideas poster competition at the AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE) representing the Young Professionals of OWWA. A full ACE registration (compliments of the AWWA) and a stipend to defray costs while attending ACE (compliments of the OWWA Young Professionals Committee) will be provided to the winner (or runner-up).

If you are interested in participating, please see the Call for Papers in the conference section of this website for submission details and forms.

Congratulations to the previous Fresh Ideas Winners:

The winner of the YP “Fresh Ideas” Competition at the 2010 OWWA OMWA Joint Annual Conference was Shoeleh Shams, with runner-up going to Monique Waller.

Ms. Shams competed in the AWWA Fresh Ideas Poster competition at the AWWA ACE in Chicago, IL in June of 2010 and was selected as the First Prize winner. Congratulations Shoeleh!

Past participants in the Fresh Ideas Competition at ACE:

Helen Jin – 2009 ACE in San Diego, California

Laura Meteer – 2008 ACE in Atlanta, Georgia

Bo Cheyne – 2007 ACE in Toronto, Ontario

Annie Luck – 2006 ACE in San Antonio, Texas