GVW wastewater management facility operator Rick Stiffel explains the operation of the High-Rate Anaerobic Lagoon to the interns.
Photo by
Supplied
Four masters students from the University of Melbourne are set to dive deep into the world of sustainable water use through a unique internship with Goulburn Valley Water.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
In the coming three months, these interns will engage in research to transform water usage in the agricultural, food processing and packaging industries.
Initiated in 2022, the partnership between NorVicFoods and GVW has already engaged 11 students in tackling critical challenges within the water industry.
GVW managing director Steve Capewell expressed optimism about the program’s dual benefits.
“The students gain valuable work experience and business skills, while our industry benefits from being able to set research topics with real-world applications,” he said.
He also highlighted the long-term potential of the internships, noting that many students who participated in similar programs have found employment in the Goulburn Valley after completing their studies.
This year’s interns — Meg Cai and Yuyan Lie (Masters of Food and Packaging), Chloe Ianna (Master of Agricultural Science) and Shiyu Chen (Master of Food Science) — are focused on compelling research topics.
Some of these include enhancing wastewater use in farming, advancing zero environmental discharge initiatives and improving water efficiency within food processing operations.
Their experience began with a three-day inspection of GVW’s infrastructure, which included visits to the Shepparton Water Treatment Plant and various pumping stations, before meeting with industry experts.
“There are a number of people the students will be working closely with, including our general manager of strategy and performance, Karen Rouse,” Dr Capewell said.
“By the end of the 10-week research period, they will have completed a full business report on their area of expertise.”
The interns will return to Shepparton on Thursday, May 15, to present their research findings to GVW.
University of Melbourne students toured the Welsford St Water Treatment Plant in Shepparton, guided by GVW’s water treatment operations leader Wes Wilkie.
Photo by
Supplied
14°C