Press Release
Rep. Cuellar Announces $15,000 for Innovative Technology Research at the University of Texas at San AntonioFunds will be used to fund Harmful Algal Blooms student-led projects
Washington| Olya Voytovich, DC Press Secretary (202-226-1583); Leslie Martinez, District Press Secretary (956-286-6007),
March 20, 2019
Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced $15,000 dollars in funding for the University of Texas at San Antonio to support student-led research in the fight against Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB). These funds were awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as a part of the awarding of $300,000 in total funding for 21 teams of undergraduate and graduate students across the country through its People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) grants program. Universities across the country will use these funds to develop sustainable technologies to help solve environmental and public health challenges. The team at the University of Texas at San Antonio will use the awarded funds to research, develop, and design an innovative approach to identifying harmful algal blooms through their research initiative, Molecular Tools to Predict Cyanobacteria Toxin Production. They will integrate the use of molecular biology tools with conventional biochemical methods to allow for a better understanding of algal blooms in regards to varying environmental factors. The results of this research can help communities, municipalities, and states prevent harmful algal blooms and keep freshwater clean. Congressman Cuellar said, “Each year, I am increasingly impressed with the amount of scientific research that is conducted by brilliant students at local universities in my home state— The University of Texas at San Antonio is no exception. These funds are critical in funding student-led efforts to find innovative solutions that will address the amount of harmful bacteria in our local lakes and rivers. The research conducted will be instrumental in predicting and preventing HAB occurrence in communities in the 28th District and across Texas.” The People, Prosperity, and the Planet grant program from the Environmental Protection Agency will highlight exceptional work done by dedicated students across the country. Since the program’s inception in 2004, more than $15.5 million in grants have been awarded to student-led research projects. |