U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize
The U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) was founded in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) to complement the Stockholm Water Prize. The SJWP is the world's most prestigious award presented to a high school student for a water-research project.
STOCKHOLM JUNIOR WATER PRIZE: NEW EQUIPMENT ACCESS GRANT PROGRAM!
WEF is partnering with HACH for a second year to support student access to research opportunities: interested high school students may apply for a grant of HACH water quality testing equipment. These grants are awarded on the basis of a student's need and interest in creating and submitting a water science research project to the 2025 USA Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition. The submission portal is now closed. Awardees will be notified by the end of November.
Since the prize's inception, WEF has conducted the U.S. SJWP to send a national winner to the international competition.
The competition is open to all high school students in grades 9-12 who have reached the age of 15 by August 1 of the competition year, and have conducted a water-science research project.
Naomi Park - 2023 U.S. & International Winner 2024 State Winners Donate to the U.S. SJWP Get Alerts and Updates 2024 National Judges
SJWP News
Park Wins International Stockholm Junior Water Prize
Naomi Park, the U.S. representative at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) competition in Sweden, has been named the winner of this international student ...
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Words on Water #244: A New Grant Program Levels The Playing Field At This Year’s U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition
🎧 In this podcast, National SJWP Judge Carol Martinson discusses the new HACH Water Equipment Grant Program that piloted in Fall of 2023. This program aims to ...
Continue ReadingU.S. Student Wins International Water Research Competition
Eshani Jha of San Jose, Calif. was selected as the winner of the 2021 Stockholm Junior Water Prize, a prestigious international competition for students to present ...
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Dr. Andrea Rinaldo Wins Stockholm Water Prize
Andrea Rinaldo, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, University of Padova, 2023 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate, SWP
Continue ReadingWater Environment Federation Congratulates 2022 Stockholm Water Prize Winner
As a founding partner of the Stockholm Water Prize, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) congratulates 2022 winner Wilfried Brutsaert, who was selected for his ...
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Learn More About SJWP
Regional competitions are held each winter in advance of state competitions in the spring. State winners are sent to the in-person national competition in June. The U.S. SJWP winner receives a cash prize of $10,000, a crystal trophy, and represents the U.S. at the international competition each August at held at World Water Week in Sweden.
Learn MoreThis competition is open to all high school students in grades 9 through 12 who have conducted water-related research science projects and have reached the age of 15 by August of the competition year. Teams of two may submit research and any student may self-nominate for their state competition.
See all Eligibility CriteriaUS SJWP is supported by:
Canadian SJWP is supported by:
Watch the 2020 International SJWP Ceremony
HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden presented the team from Japan with the award. The 2020 international winners are Hiroki Matsuhashi and Takuma Miyaki.
Meet the 2019 SJWP Finalists
Year by year the number of country competitons and contestants increases. Young global citizens determined to be global changemakers.
See Highlights from the 2017 SJWP Competiton
H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the Patron of the Prize, awarded Ryan Thorpe and Rachel Chang from the U.S. They emerged top out of 33 competing countries.
2024 National Judges
Austin Alexander
Austin has been with Xylem for 11 years in a variety of roles. Currently, she leads the company’s Sustainability, Diversity & Inclusion and Social Impact work. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering Management from Gonzaga University and a Master’s Business Administration from Wake Forest University. Austin lives in Big Timber, Montana.
John M. Albert
John Albert is the Chief Research Officer of The Water Research Foundation (WRF), a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. WRF is the world’s leading water research cooperative, with a mission to advance the science of water. WRF funds, manages, and publishes research drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems.
Anselmo Cassiano
Originally from Brazil, Anselmo is a Research Affiliate at MIT in Water Diplomacy, Vice-President and Co-Chairman of the MIT Water Lecture Series a member of Harvard Law School Negotiators. Water is major part of their life: Anselmo is the captain of MIT Triathlon Team, and is a volunteer sailing and karate Instructor at MIT.
Jamie Eichenberger
Jamie Eichenberger is a Vice President with HDR Engineering based in Denver, where he manages a wide variety of water and wastewater projects. He is also a Past President of WEF, where he has been actively involved since his college days right here at Colorado School of Mines.
Felicia Glapion
Felicia Glapion, P.E., ENV SP, is a water professional with over twenty years of experience in the field. She is a civil/environmental engineer by trade and a graduate of WEF’s Water Leadership Institute. She currently serves as the Chief Engineering Officer for a wastewater utility in Virginia and is a member of the Virginia Water Environment Association’s Board.
Pedro Gochicoa
Pedro Gochicoa is currently an Account Development Manager for Xylem. Pedro’s primary focus is on providing technical and sales support during different facets required in planning, developing, and implementing water metering and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) projects. He also supports the advancement of treatment technologies for water reuse applications, particularly in the Western United States and Latin America.
Kahao Lim
After graduating with his PhD from Kansas State University in 2021, Kahao joined Stantec as a process engineer. Kahao began his career in the water and wastewater industry as a researcher due to his interest in maximizing the use of wastewater as a sustainable resource, a mindset that he carries on as a consultant. His emphasis on translating sound fundamentals into practical implementation has enabled him to gain experience with municipal and industrial clients including anaerobic MBR system piloting, hydraulic evaluations and facilities planning, PFAS removal, media filtration, and nutrient recovery.
Rasha Maal-Bared
Dr. Maal-Bared is the principal environmental microbiologist at the CDM Smith Bellevue Research and Testing Laboratories. Before that, she was the wastewater treatment specialist and senior microbiologist at EPCOR Water for ten years, where she supported plant monitoring, operations and process optimization in 15 communities across western Canada. She completed her PhD in Environmental Microbiology at the University of British Columbia and her MSc degrees at the Harvard School of Public Health and Dalhousie University.
Carol Martinson
Ms. Martinson graduated from the University of Wyoming with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Water Resources. Her project experience includes design and commissioning of water and wastewater treatment facilities for municipal and industrial clients in Australia, the United States, and Central America. She lends her expertise on emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 1,2,3-trichloropropane (1,2,3-TCP), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 1,4-dioxane to various remediation and water treatment projects.
Allyson McGaughey
Dr. McGaughey's research focuses on developing and leveraging mechanistic understanding of relationships between materials fabrication, properties, and performance in separations processes for water reuse, resource recovery, and environmental remediation. Prior to joining UNM, she was a Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University. She received her bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington and her master’s and doctoral degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Southern California. Dr. McGaughey has been the recipient of several awards, including the USC CEE Best Dissertation Award in environmental engineering, the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Jenny Wang Excellence in Teaching Award, and the 2019 American Membrane Technology Association and Affordable Desalination Coalition Fellowship.
Isaias Medina III
Isaias Medina III is a seasoned 30-year + international lawyer, former UN Security Council Diplomat, global strategist and thought leader. Environmentalist, Human Rights and water advocate. Expert in public international law, including space law, oceans and the law of the sea. Harvard Alumni and member of the Academic Council on the United Nations System.
Swarna Muthukrishnan
Swarna Muthukrishnan received her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India, and a Master of Science Certificate in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Florida. As the Water Quality Research Director at Clean Ocean Action, she leads and provides direction to COA’s scientific efforts on coastal watershed and marine pollution issues, establish and manage COA’s scientific research projects and programs focusing on water quality, marine debris including single use plastics, and driving community science. She also serves as the staff scientist and supports policy and education programs at COA.
Ana Peña-Tijerina
Ana serves as the Wastewater Practice Leader at Plummer Associates. She has over 23 years of experience in wastewater engineering roles in academic, public, and private sectors. Her area of expertise and passion is wastewater treatment. She is an active member of WEF and participates in several committees including MRRDC, MEGA, LEOS, Industrial Committee, WEAT Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, and of course, as a national judge of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize in 2021 and 2022.
Robert Sharp
Robert Sharp is the Donald O'Connor Chair in Environmental Engineering at Manhattan College. His lab carries out research in the areas of advanced wastewater treatment, water reuse and resource recovery. He also serves as an exclusive Process Consultant for Hazen and Sawyer Engineers.
Matt Thompson
Matt works at the Hach company which ensures water quality for people around the world by making water analysis better- faster, simpler, greener, and more informative. He is in the internal training department, Hach University, where he creates and delivers training to sales and service associates.
Peter Vanrolleghem
Peter Vanrolleghem obtained his degrees in Bio-engineering and PhD in Environmental Technologies from Ghent University (Belgium) and in 1997 became a professor there. In 2006 he immigrated in Quebec to become full professor at Université Laval’s Civil and Water Engineering Department. His research team, modelEAU focuses on monitoring, modelling and controlling urban wastewater systems and tackles challenges such as nutrient (removal and recovery), fate of micropollutants and pathogens, and emissions of greenhouse gases.
Timothy Ware
Timothy Ware currently works as an operations and maintenance engineer for Arcadis. He has a bachelors degree in civil engineering and a masters degree in environmental engineering from the University of South Florida. He is a licensed professional engineer and a licensed wastewater operator in Florida. Mr. Ware spent a large portion of his career managing large water and wastewater treatment plants and currently uses that background consulting with municipalities all over the country helping to optimize operations and maintenance practices
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