Collegiate Times

A Virginia Tech Professor has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, a major award that also comes with an unconditional $500,000 prize to be paid out over five years.

A Virginia Tech Professor has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, a major award that also comes with an unconditional $500,000 prize to be paid out over five years.

Marc Edwards, a professor in civil engineering, earned the award for his work in improving water safety and in researching water delivery systems. The prize came as a huge surprise to the professor.

"I was in a period of shock for some time," Edwards said. "I thought somebody was playing a practical joke."

The MacArthur Fellowship rewards people from all walks of lives. In addition to scientists, other winners include doctors, writers, geographers, and musicians. Edwards' colleagues were quick to praise his work.

"A number of the things Marc works on are current or public issues. Many things he researches are used extensively," said Paolo Scardina, a postdoctoral associate in civil and environmental engineering.

Edwards has spent almost twenty years observing how piping affects the quality of water.

"I worked on a corrosion problem in homes, and at the time we flew some 'experts' in, and they didn't have any answers," Edwards said. "It was then I realized nobody was studying this effect."

His efforts have had long reaching effects, and his work has been chronicled by many major journals and publications. His research also brought major changes at many Washington D.C. area schools, where it was discovered that water there had high levels of lead.

Though the $500,000 MacArthur Foundation check could inspire some to go on vacation or buy a new car, Edwards is putting the money right back into his work.

"It's a great example of Marc's character," Scardina said. "Instead of splurging, he's putting it back into his research to fund things that might otherwise not get looked into."

For Edwards, it is a chance to continue important research.

"What I plan on doing is emphasizing some of my research, and in particular water contamination in public schools, which is a major problem that is being overlooked," Edwards said. "There is a very promising future for me with this research," Edwards said. "It's good for society, and it's like a hobby to me. I hope to be doing this for the rest of my career."