Faculty Excellence Winner Works Hard to Make Water Safe

Thursday, November 21, 2013

James Malley is the Davison Professor of Environmental Engineering and Director of the Environmental Research Group at the University of New Hampshire. He won the 2013 Excellence in Public Service Award for his leadership and commitment to providing safe drinking water to people all over the world.

Jim Malley, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UNH for 25 years, is an internationally recognized authority in the field of drinking water.

With the stated goal of “improving the drinking water of two billion people worldwide” by the time he retires, Malley has worked tirelessly at the national and international levels — including water works associations, manufacturers of treatment devices, public water suppliers, consulting engineers — to improve drinking water “one system at a time.”

In 1993, Malley revolutionized water treatment technology by introducing ultraviolet light disinfection to fight cryptosporidium, the largest waterborne disease outbreak in U.S. history that brought illness to 400,000 people. He went on to found the International Ultraviolet Association and for his advocacy of a technology that has improved public health for tens of millions of people worldwide, has been called the “Godfather of UV Disinfection.”

Mentor and trainer to a generation of future environmental engineering professionals at UNH, the state of New Hampshire, and the world, Malley won the 2013 Award for Public Service.

Originally published by:

UNH Today

Video by UNH Video Productions

  • Written By:

    Staff writer | Communications and Public Affairs