Monroe Weber-Shirk
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Leadership Update

Dear AguaClara Reach Volunteers & Supporters,

I have had the pleasure of serving as the President of the AguaClara Board of Directors for the last 16 months. Together with my fellow Board members, employees, and volunteers we have made solid progress for ACR. I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to everyone who has been involved in this work.

My primary goal during this time has been to establish a strong foundation and easy to use building blocks for our organization. We have worked hard to create a structure, environment, and culture that best utilizes the skills and interests of our many volunteers. This has been crucial in allowing ACR to effectively make use of the non-monetary, time donations ACR volunteers have been so generous to offer - estimated at roughly 6,500 donated hours in the last year alone!

We have also been extremely fortunate to continue our project work - both in India with partners Gram Vikas and Tata Cornell Institute (read more here) and in our AguaClara Infrastructure Design Engine development (read more here). This work would not have been possible without our dedicated employee, Fletcher Chapin, and past employees who continue to support our efforts, Emily Spiek, Subhani Katugampala, and May Sharif.

As I step down from the Presidency in anticipation of my upcoming maternity leave, I also want to thank our incoming and continuing Officers. New Officers were appointed through a special election, upon my resignation as President.  Zoe Maisel has been an excellent Secretary and is well prepared to tackle the challenges of serving as President. Subhani Katugampala, previously an ACR employee and a current Board Director will be stepping up into Secretary role. And we are extremely fortunate to have Blixy Taetzch continuing to serve as Treasurer. I will continue and look forward to serving as a Board Director and am so excited to see these three serving as ACR Officers, as they continue to lead ACR into the future.


Thank you,

Alissa Diminich

A Year in Summary

2020 has been a tough year for all of us. Despite the challenges, AguaClara Reach has accomplished a lot this year, from expanding our partnerships to progressing the AguaClara Infrastructure Design Engine (AIDE). We could not have done this work without the support of our generous donors, and in order to continue our work into 2021 and beyond, we rely on the generosity of people like you who recognize the value of safe drinking water for all. We’re excited to announce the start of our End of Year Campaign, and we’d like to invite you to join us!  


Read below to learn about some of the projects that our supporters have helped fund in 2020, as well as the future projects that the End of Year Campaign will support in 2021:

What has ACR been working on this year?

AguaClara Infrastructure Design Engine (AIDE)

In Summer 2020, a team of AguaClara Cornell (ACC) students and AguaClara Reach members worked on developing Version 2 of AIDE. The new version utilizes free software and open source computer languages (Onshape, FeatureScript, and Python), in lieu of paid software (MatchCAD, AutoCAD), to create a low-cost platform, which will enable users to to rapidly design customized AguaClara water treatment plants based on minimal design parameters and will allow us to bring AguaClara technology to even more communities around the world. 

Hydrodoser Projects in India 

On January 10, our ACR India Program Project Manager, Fletcher Chapin, arrived in Bhubaneswar, India to continue our work with Gram Vikas (GV) to deliver safe drinking water to  the Indian communities of Patimul and Majhi Ukhura. Fletcher assisted in managing the construction and startup of two Hydrodoser systems. His work involved training the GV engineers on construction, operation, and system design. GV also conducted site selection surveys for identifying potential locations for new Hydrodoser installations. 

Research, Invent, Design, Empower (RIDE) 

AguaClara Reach has a new committee! The RIDE committee, led by Matt Cimini, will be focusing on developing the framework for expanding the AguaClara research program to additional universities, schools, and institutions. ACR Volunteer Patrick Sours is leading the AguaClara research program at Ohio State University (OSU). This year, OSU students began work on an AguaClara plant design for their capstone design coursework. 

What does ACR hope to accomplish in 2021?

AIDE Version 2

The AIDE team will continue developing Version 2 of AIDE. The short-term goals include completing the CAD model for the chemical dosing system and writing design code for the filter system. The AIDE team will also work on optimizing existing models and improving the efficiency of the design engine. 

Small-scale Treatment Plant (1-5 liters per second) Designs

ACR has received requests through Agua Para el Pueblo (APP, Honduras) and Gram Vikas (GV, India) for designs of small-scale treatment plants with a capacity ranging from 1 to 5 liters per second. Developing new designs for these small-scale treatment plants will enable us to reach smaller communities who need access to safe and affordable drinking water on tap. 

New Partner Development

ACR is working on introducing AguaClara Technology to new communities and locations around the world by developing its network of local partnerships. ACR is currently pursuing new opportunities in Colombia and Indigenous communities in the US. These partnerships expand ACR’s capacity to provide services to critically underserved communities. 

Research and Innovation

ACR will continue to collaborate with and support AguaClara Cornell’s research program as it navigates recent changes to the organization. Under the new Technology Committee, led by Monroe Weber-Shirk, ACR Volunteers will provide technical support and guidance to ACC research teams. ACR will also support the development and innovation of AC technology in research and educational institutions around the world. 

How can you help?

This work takes capital, as does AguaClara Reach’s training and support in future projects. With the generous donations from supporters like you, AguaClara Reach will be able to meet all of these milestones and opportunities to reach even more people with safe and affordable drinking water on tap. Here are some ways you can help: 

  • Contribute to our End of Year Campaign!

  • Reach out to your company for corporate donations.

  • Spread the word to your network about ACR’s work. 

Thank you to all our incredible supporters, partners, and volunteers! All our work is made possible through your support and passion for safe water. We’re looking forward to a productive and innovative 2021, and we can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in the coming year! If you would like additional information about AguaClara Reach or our fundraising effort, please contact us at info@aguaclarareach.org.

Blog Post Authors: Cheer Tsang, Linping Xu, Subhani Katugampala, and John Finn

Committee Overview

For the last year and a half, AguaClara Reach (ACR) has revised and refined our committee structure. The committee structure allows ACR to better engage our volunteers, employees, Board Members, and AguaClara researchers to accomplish our goals and fulfill our mission. As a volunteer-led organization, committees allow ACR to manage people and tasks efficiently to encourage collaboration, cooperation, and creativity.

ACR currently has nine committees, each with its own area of work to coordinate and track. Committee chairs support current and potential volunteers by connecting them to tasks and providing them with resources and guidance as they progress the work. The committees are introduced below to give insight into how ACR operates.

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Any individual interested in joining the ACR Volunteers can learn more about what we do by reviewing the committee descriptions and finding areas of interest. ACR Volunteer Managers are available to discuss potential volunteer interests and strengths to find existing or new ways to participate. Volunteer Managers can be reached at volunteer@aguaclarareach.org.

Internal Operations

To operate as a non-profit and fulfill administrative needs, ACR has several committees focused on our internal operations: Finance & Personnel, Governance, Strategic Planning, and Volunteer Management.

Governance

Committee Chair: Alissa Diminich (ACR Board President)

The Governance Committee is responsible for managing the legal and administrative function of ACR. Currently, the group is working to update the ACR bylaws so they can better serve the purpose and intended operation of our organization. This includes determining the responsibilities of certain positions and establishing policies that allow us to function in a consistent and efficient manner. This committee also works on legal documents and establishes rules to help preserve the integrity of ACR.

Finance & Personnel

Committee Chair: Blixy Taetzsch (ACR Board Treasurer)

The Finance and Personnel Committee is responsible for managing ACR’s employees and finances. Activities include budgeting, financial statements, contracts, purchasing, banking and investments, hiring and personnel policies, insurance, tax, and legal matters. This committee provides guidance to other ACR committees as needed.

Strategic Planning

Committee Chair: Alissa Diminich (ACR Board President)

The Strategic Planning Committee is responsible for identifying the strategic plan of the organization. ACR typically revisits our strategy annually at the Strategic Planning Board Retreat, which is planned by this committee. This Retreat is critical to setting the annual goals for ACR, to revisit what we have achieved in the prior year and to prioritize our work moving forward to best demonstrate our values and mission. Developing a high level strategy allows ACR to evaluate which specific options align most directly with our mission, and allow us to prioritize efforts of volunteers and employees over the course of the following year.

Volunteer Management

Committee Chairs: Serena Takada (ACR Board Member) and Lois Lee (ACR Committee Chair)

The Volunteer Management Committee empowers ACR volunteers by connecting them to projects and tasks within ACR. The Volunteer Managers work to make sure that volunteers enjoy a fulfilling volunteer experience. Typical activities include onboarding new members and hosting social events to keep the widespread network of volunteers closely knit.

External Operations

ACR’s external committees focus on how ACR fulfills its mission and goals working with partners to share AguaClara Technology and complete projects.

Technology

Committee Chair: Monroe Weber-Shirk (ACR Board Member)

The Technology Committee is composed of AguaClara Technology experts. They are tasked with research publication through the AguaClara Textbook, creating and maintaining the next generation design tool (AguaClara Infrastructure Design Engine: AIDE), providing technical support to global implementation partners, internal design review, and reviewing plant performance data through the Plant Operator Smartphone Tracker (POST). 

Projects

Committee Chair: Open for Application! If you are interested, please email zmaisel@aguaclarareach.org.

The Projects Committee works directly with ACR employees and implementation partners to provide training and designs of AguaClara technology. The committee is involved in all stages of project work, from initial development and feasibility reviews, through design, construction, and training. The committee also works on developing relationships with new project partners. 

Research, Invent, Design, Empower (RIDE)

Committee Chair: Matthew Cimini (ACR Committee Chair)

The RIDE Committee exists to ensure the professionalism, accuracy, and accessibility of all official AguaClara research. By documenting and storing past research, helping organizations conduct current research, and determining the priority and content of future research, RIDE hopes to be involved with all aspects of the technology and knowledge development process.

Communications & Engagement

Committee Chair: Open for Application! If you are interested, please email zmaisel@aguaclarareach.org.

The Communications and Engagement Committee focuses on communicating AguaClara Reach’s story and mission with the public. This includes outreach to companies and alumni to provide updates on advancements within ACR. Currently, the committee is focusing on updating the website and building our social media presence. The committee is also developing a press package as a ready-to-use resource to share with companies and donors upon request for support.

Fundraising

Committee Chair: Subhani Katugampala (ACR Board Member)

The Fundraising Committee coordinates funding campaigns and donor outreach. This committee also develops grants and funding applications to help AguaClara Reach provide hydraulic designs for implementation partners, provide ongoing technical support through operation and maintenance, and continue research.

Update on AguaClara Cornell Program

Dear AguaClara Reach Supporters,

As many of you may know, earlier this summer, Cornell University published a press release regarding staffing and program changes indicating that they intended to retire the AguaClara Cornell Program effective at the beginning of the 2020 fall semester. AguaClara Reach released a statement when this occurred.

Since the announcement, the students of AguaClara Cornell have been working closely with administrators within the College of Engineering to allow the AguaClara Cornell program to continue. Through their work, it was determined that AguaClara Cornell will continue operations as a project team at Cornell University under the College of Engineering, rather than within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Dr. Monroe Weber-Shirk has joined the AguaClara Reach Board of Directors and will continue to mentor the AguaClara Cornell project team. The new AguaClara Cornell advisor for the 2020-2021 academic year is Professor Ruth Richardson.

We are excited to learn that students will maintain the legacy and ongoing positive impact of the AguaClara Cornell Program, and ACR is looking forward to working with Cornell students and other research organizations as we grow. If anyone is interested in joining our efforts at AguaClara Reach, feel free to contact me or our Volunteer Manager, Serena Takada.

Thanks,

Alissa Diminich

ACR Board President

Statement on AguaClara Cornell Program

Dear AguaClara Reach Supporters,

As many of you may know, earlier today Cornell University published a press release regarding staffing and program changes. As a part of these changes, Cornell University, College of Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering has decided to retire the AguaClara Cornell Program effective at the beginning of the 2020 fall semester.

Over the last 15 years, Dr. Monroe Weber-Shirk and his students in the AguaClara Cornell Program have developed innovative, open-source water treatment technology. This technology was integral to the creation of AguaClara Reach, and we will continue our mission to bring this open-source technology to communities around the world that can most benefit from it.

This news does not affect any of our current project work, and I feel certain we will be able to maintain the legacy and ongoing positive impact of the AguaClara Cornell Program. If anyone is interested in joining our efforts at AguaClara Reach, feel free to contact me or our Volunteer Manager, Serena Takada.

Thanks,

Alissa Diminich

ACR Board President

AguaClara Reach Stands with Black Lives Matter

Across the United States, people are coming together to protest the country’s deep-seated systemic racism, institutional oppression, and racist police brutality. While the protests and community actions have been triggered by the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Manuel Ellis, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony McDade, unrest has been present from the initial colonization of America, through slavery, and Jim Crow era policies. We are a nation that has been built on white supremacy and violence. As the United States tries to reconcile with this history, many are continuing and joining in the fight for equality and justice during this defining moment. 

AguaClara Reach is dedicated to the equality of all people. Our mission focuses on providing safe drinking water to those in need so we can ensure that every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and happy life. While our efforts are focused internationally and in communities where access to safe drinking water is most limited, we cannot focus solely outward when people are experiencing such gross injustice within our own country. 

We fully support the national demand to defund police departments across the country and reinvest in education, climate justice, and healthcare for all. 

As an organization, we are fully committed to supporting black and brown communities and amplifying their voices. A member of our Board will serve as the task lead for developing the ACR Diversity and Inclusion Plan - to create an actionable plan for AguaClara Reach to cultivate an environment in which diversity in thought, background, and culture is celebrated and found on equal footing.

As Board Members and employees, we will each be taking steps recommended by Black Lives Matter, and we ask all of our volunteers and supporters to do the same. Together we can remove the structures upholding white supremacy in our society.

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

A Message from our Board President: COVID-19

Dear Supporters of AguaClara Reach,

As we all navigate the current challenges related to COVID-19, AguaClara Reach wants to let you know that we are actively thinking about the safety of our employees, volunteers, partners, and the communities we work with.

In that vein, we want to share how AguaClara Reach is navigating this rapidly-changing landscape. The health and safety of all people, organizations, and communities we partner with is our top priority. Our entire organization is continuing to work remotely and our employee who had been working internationally has returned home. Additionally, we postponed our March 21st Worldwide Walk for Water which was scheduled to take place in New York City’s Central Park. We will maintain the high level of collaboration and quality of support our partners have grown to expect from us and we will do everything we can to slow the spread of the coronavirus in our individual lives. We will keep you apprised through our website as we continue to assess the impacts we anticipate COVID-19 will have on AguaClara Reach’s work.

Times like this provide an opportunity to recognize the value and pressing nature of our work. Now, more than ever, AguaClara Reach will continue to work towards safe water on tap for all, a critical part of global health. We will continue to be agile, creative, and determined as we navigate this new and challenging environment.

Thank you and stay well.

Sincerely,
Alissa Diminich
AguaClara Reach Board President