When I found out that Bruce Rittmann had won the Stockholm Water Prize, I had no idea that I would be joining a group of ASU professors and researchers in Stockholm to support Bruce during World Water Week. Stockholm’s calm streets welcomed us with open arms. The conference was organized and hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute. This year’s conference thematic scope was “Water, Ecosystems, and Human Development” and it focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. It was different from any other conference I have attended, not only based on the topics discussed but also based on the attendance. Instead of speaking about only new technologies and techniques, the conference sessions were mostly focused on the implementation of various water and sanitation technologies in the developing world. It was unexpected to have a conference that was so diverse in its attendance. I met people from all over the world, from Burkina Faso to the Philippines to Argentina. It was a welcomed surprise. Another unique aspect of the conference was the structure of the sessions. They encouraged session leaders to structure their sessions into breakout discussion groups, panel discussions, or any other fun activity, instead of the traditional talk-followed-by-talk structure we are all accustomed to.
The conference held a few events to honor Bruce Rittmann and Mark van Loosdrecht. During the opening plenary, they were part of a short panel discussion on their contributions to environmental biotechnology. It was really awesome to see Bruce up on the stage for the first time at World Water Week. Attendants came to our ASU Future H2O table after the plenary and told us how they were impressed with what Bruce had said about his journey towards winning the Stockholm Water Prize. Midway through the conference, Bruce and Mark gave a short talk in the morning in the presence of H.R.H. Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Crown Princess Victoria. Once again, Bruce impressed everyone with his down-to-earth personality while he spoke about the partnerships that have helped him throughout the years. Being there, with the King and the Princess of Sweden, was like nothing I had ever experienced. The Princess was very engaged, even taking notes while others talked about water issues around the world. That night, Bruce received the award at the Royal Banquet. It was held in the Stockholm City Hall, which has a huge ballroom that is completely covered in gold-colored tiles. It was very grand and beautiful. The ceremony was broadcast live around the world and the recording can be found on the SIWI website. Overall, it is hard to describe how proud we were of Bruce while at World Water Week. He was a true celebrity the entire week. I am so grateful to Future H2O for giving me the opportunity to attend the conference. I will cherish the experience for years and years to come. Daniella’s testimonial, along with others’ can be read in the Future H2O newsletter.
Daniella Saetta, Graduate Research Assistant, Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University
Daniella Saetta is a 2nd year PhD student in Environmental Engineering at ASU. She previously received a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida. Her research is focused on building-scale implementation of urine diversion systems in the US. She is also involved with Future H2O’s Water Sensors Project, where they are outfitting a green building with water quality sensors for improved water quality and public health.