Senior Helps Develop Distillation Device

ALAN TAM
News Editor
The Jisan Research Group is an organization that seeks to help promote student participation in research and development. Over the course of several months, they have made an important contribution in combating water scarcity.
Utilizing what has been dubbed an “entro-chemical process,” a team has developed a device that can purify water without the use of filters, fuel or pumps. One member of the research team is AHS senior Calvin Chau.
The eleven-person group led by Dr. Sanza Kazadi consists of high school students from San Diego, Rowland Heights and Crescenta Valley. They began research in December; within four months, five working prototypes have been produced.
The potential benefits of the device can help alleviate water shortages and improve the standard of living in arid regions and countries where clean water is not available.
The device has the potential to make drinkable water an easily renewable resource, helping to prevent the exhaustion of underground aquifers and freshwater sources.
“It is going to help save lives,” freshman Sean Cho said. “Clean water is hard to come by in other countries.”
According to Chau, the research is still in preliminary stages and it may take years before a commercial product can be released.
Regardless, members of the research team feel that this process will be a step towards environmental sustainability.
“This process is capable of improving the lives of people everywhere,” Chau said.