A multi-university research collaboration led by DR. FRANCIS DE LOS REYES, III (WaSH Cluster Lead) was awarded an Engineering Research Center Planning Grant by NSF. The funding will allow the group, which includes faculty from the University of South Florida and NC A&T University, to conduct workshops to develop a proposal for an Engineering Research Center on Sanitation and Water
Infrastructure of the Future for Marginalized Communities (SWIFt- MC). The vision for SWIFt-MC is to develop and use advanced engineering analysis, technologies, models, and solutions to re-engineer water and sanitation / wastewater systems in underserved areas — both those lacking sufficient infrastructure and those lacking the resources to maintain existing infrastructure.