Reimagining WASH for Resilient Futures: Introducing the CWEEL Innovation Challenge
CWEEL
October 7 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am
This presentation introduces the CWEEL WASH Innovation Challenge, a structured, time-bound, crowdsourced initiative designed to mobilize innovators worldwide to reimagine Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems for a more resilient future. In this session, presenters will walk attendees through each aspect of the challenge: pre-launch stakeholder outreach and the global dissemination strategy; idea submission, screening, and evaluation processes; finalist pitches and winner selection criteria and process. Attendees will learn how the initiative has potential to advance workforce development, grow CWEEL’s international membership by 15% in CY26, and generate thought leadership that positions AEE/CWEEL as a global leader in applied innovation beyond conferences and certifications.
When: Wednesday October 7, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST
About the Presenters
Kjrsten Bobb, PE, CEM, serves on the CWEEL Governing Board and is chair of the CWEEL International Programs and Events Committee. She has been a key contributor to the CWEEL WASH Innovation Challenge, leading its global dissemination strategy and stakeholder outreach.
Dr. Vidya Chandran is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at SCMS School of Engineering and Technology in Ernakulam, Kerala. With more than 17 years of experience in higher education, she specializes in fluid-structure interaction, offshore hydrodynamics, computational fluid dynamics, and marine renewable energy systems.
Wendi Durham is the Innovation Program Manager at Stanley Consultants, where she leads firm-wide efforts to advance innovative solutions and programming. In her role supporting the CWEEL WASH Innovation Challenge, Wendi brings expertise in program design and cross-functional collaboration to help structure and advance the challenge from concept to execution.
John Guilfoyle is the Chief of Technology and Innovation at Stanley Consultants, where he leads the firm’s efforts to deliver pragmatic, data-driven solutions across public and private sectors. With over 25 years of experience, John specializes in strategy, information technology, infrastructure management, and business process optimization.