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U.S. academic's public health work earns Stockholm Water Prize

Xinhua, March 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

A U.S. researcher on Tuesday claimed the Stockholm Water Prize for her "tireless contributions" to help improve global health, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) announced on Tuesday.

Dr. Joan Rose of Michigan State University won the award for her work to assess "risks to human health in water and helping decision-makers and communities to improve health," the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) said in a statement.

"I feel humbled. I am very honored to be part of a list of such distinguished past winners," Rose said. "The prize calls attention to the most important issues around water in the 21st century, and for me, that is water quality."

Around 1,000 children aged below five die every day from diarrhea-related diseases, SIWI said, adding that over one billion people lack access to safe drinking water.

Rose had undertaken her work "in both theory and practice," the nominating committee wrote in its motivation, contributing both "dedicated" research as well as lobbying and advocacy in the public sphere.

"I have always been motivated by the principles of public health, how to prevent disease. A key barrier, our water infrastructure, is crumbling or non-existing in many parts of the world. The global population unserved by sewage treatment is counted in the billions," Rose said.

A global award since 1991, the Stockholm Water Prize is presented annually to an individual or an organization for "outstanding water-related achievements."

H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Patron of Stockholm Water Prize, will present the prize to Joan Rose at a Royal Award Ceremony on Aug. 31, during the 2016 World Water Week in Stockholm. Endit