The summer may have been relaxing, but the Barley Prize didn’t take a break. Our independent panel of judges spent long hours reviewing the Pilot Phase data, deciding on which teams would move forward to Grand Challenge and ultimately compete for the $10 million grand prize.
This October, The Everglades Foundation’s Barley Prize team made their way Toronto to host the Pilot Phase Stage 3 Awards and Technical Workshop. Through yet another innovative partnership with WaterTAP, the events were both held during Ontario Water Innovation Week, which celebrates progress, the sharing of ideas, and planning for the future of Canada's thriving water sector. The Technical Workshop gave each team the opportunity to showcase their technologies and on-site experience in front of government employees, wastewater treatment professionals, academics, and scientists alike.
The event began with individual presentations from each of the 9 Pilot Phase teams. Each one presented their technologies to the audience, before sitting beside Dr. Melodie Naja (Director of Science at The Everglades Foundation) for a panel discussion moderated by Loren Parra, Director of the Prize.
Following the panelists was a conversation regarding the “Future Direction for Phosphorus Reduction,” showcasing various perspectives from the United States, Canada, the Great Lakes, Agriculture and Urban Sectors.
The afternoon concluded with a participant breakout session, “Where/how can we implement these technologies?”
The collaborative exercise was intended to identify barriers and solutions to implementing the Barley Prize technologies, and those similar, in areas such as Lake Simcoe and/or its tributaries,greenhouses, municipal drains, wastewater and urban storm water. Each table presented their obstacles and potential solutions to those in attendance in hopes of generating new conversation and change.
