UA Young Water Professionals Win Conference Poster Competition

Two members of the UA Young Water Professionals chapter placed first and second at the AL/MS Water Joint Annual Conference Fresh Ideas Poster Competition in Mobile, Alabama.

First-place winner Sophia Lotzow presented her poster titled “Safety Assessment of Selected Aging Dams and Prototype Development for Evacuation Route Optimization.” Second-place winner Sarah Ortbal showcased “Efficacy of Expired Colilert Media in E. coli and Coliform Detection: A Laboratory Assessment.”

Both students were featured in the conference magazine, while Lotzow received sponsorship to attend the American Water Works Association Annual Conference and Exposition in Washington, D.C., in October 2026. The competition is part of the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference, the largest annual water quality conference in the world.

The chapter’s design team placed first in the student design competition and will present a master plan for the water treatment plant in Troy, Alabama, at WEFTEC in October.