ReDDDoT Phase 1: Planning Grant: Alternative Systems for Human Waste Management

Flush toilets in the United States are the norm, yet many communities stand to benefit from adoption of new technologies, particularly as intense storms play havoc with wastewater systems. The need to augment and re-examine commitments to existing systems is urgent. To assist communities and regulators in weighing options and priorities, and to increase curiosity for innovations in human waste management, the project adopts science communication strategies that expands dialogue, public participation, and democratic access to STEM innovations.

The project furthers NSF’s mission to “advance the national health, prosperity and welfare.” An interdisciplinary team with expertise in sustainability, product design, public service, communication, and STEAM education will work together to craft dialogic and survey experiences which incorporate visualizations, stories, and design challenges all related to water that is typically flushed away. Principles of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), prioritize understanding the needs of diverse populations and cross-sector, bi-directional learning.

An interdisciplinary team including Riverkeepers, and Black Folks Camp Too leaders, faculty from Pepperdine, UNC Chapel Hill, the North Carolina School of the Arts with expertise in sustainability, and professionals in product design, public service, communication, and TERC’s STEM educators will add to the scant of research on the public’s acceptance of sustainable sanitation solutions and address the conundrum of introducing tech solutions without triggering pushback. The project will pilot a survey and facilitated conversations that engage participants in designing approaches to manage human waste.

Recruitment for participation will take place in recreational areas along North Carolina rivers. We plan to speak primarily to individuals who struggled with inadequate sanitation as well as those who use non-flush toilets. During facilitated conversations of mixed audiences (including scientists, regulators, faith leaders, and others), project leaders will: 1) Consult with and engage prospective users of new tech to identify priorities, values, areas of curiosity, and preferences of diverse NC residents; and 2) Lay the groundwork for a market segmentation study.

By the end of Year 2, the project team will have completed a design for experiential engagement. The team will also have piloted a survey and show that it solicits meaningful responses across a range of distinct profiles. To assess engagement, the team will conduct pre- and post-surveys.

By design the study is limited in geographic scope and size as the methods will be tested and refined for use in a larger study. Newsletters and social media will keep advisors, partners, and participants informed.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.