ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Deepika Kurup - Inventor, student scientist
Water is the basis of life, and too many people around the world suffer from waterborne illnesses. Deepika Kurup is working to change that.

Why you should listen

Deepika Kurup is a scientist, speaker, social entrepreneur and student at Harvard University. She has been passionate about solving the global water crisis ever since she was in middle school. After witnessing children in India drinking dirty water, Kurup developed a water purification system that harnesses solar energy to remove contaminants from water.

Recognized as "America’s Top Young Scientist" in 2012, Kurup won the grand prize in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. In 2014 she was honored with the "United States President's Environmental Youth Award" and represented the United States in Stockholm, Sweden at the international Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Most recently Kurup was named one of the Forbes' "30 Under 30: Energy" and was the National Geographic Explorer Award Winner in the 2015 Google Science Fair. She attended the 2016 (and 2013) White House Science Fair. Currently she is CEO and founder Catalyst for World Water, a social enterprise aimed at deploying the technology she developed in water-scarce areas. 

Along with research, Kurup is passionate about STEM education, and she feels that STEM education has the power to revolutionize the world. In her free time, she enjoys giving talks and writing articles to encourage students all around the world to pursue science, technology, engineering and math, and to increase awareness of the global water crisis. She has been invited to speak at schools, international conferences and the United Nations. 

More profile about the speaker
Deepika Kurup | Speaker | TED.com
TEDWomen 2016

Deepika Kurup: A young scientist's quest for clean water

荻皮卡·庫羅普: 一位青年科學家的淨水之旅

Filmed:
1,176,301 views

荻皮卡·庫羅普 14 歲時,在印度的祖父母的房子外看到孩子們喝被汙染的水。從那時起,她就致力於解決全球水源危機。她的研究從家裡的廚房開始,最終獲得了重大科學獎項。聽聽這位青年科學家,是怎樣發明成本效益高而又環保的淨水方法。
- Inventor, student scientist
Water is the basis of life, and too many people around the world suffer from waterborne illnesses. Deepika Kurup is working to change that. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
Every一切 summer夏季, my family家庭 and I
travel旅行 across橫過 the world世界,
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每年夏天我和我的家人
都會橫跨世界
00:17
3,000 miles英里 away
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到 4800 公里之外、
00:19
to the culturally文化 diverse多種
country國家 of India印度.
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文化多樣的印度旅行。
00:22
Now, India印度 is a country國家 infamous臭名昭著
for its scorching酷熱 heat and humidity濕度.
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印度是一個因炎熱
和潮濕而出名的國家。
00:27
For me, the only relief浮雕 from this heat
is to drink plenty豐富 of water.
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對我來說,唯一能讓我從
這灼熱中解脫的,就是喝水。
00:32
Now, while in India印度,
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在印度的時候,
我父母總是提醒我
只能喝燒過的水或瓶裝水,
00:34
my parents父母 always remind提醒 me
to only drink boiled煮沸 or bottled瓶裝 water,
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00:39
because unlike不像 here in America美國,
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因為與美國這裡不同,
00:41
where I can just turn on a tap龍頭
and easily容易 get clean清潔, potable飲用水 water,
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這裡水龍頭流的都是
乾淨的自來水,
00:46
in India印度, the water is often經常 contaminated污染.
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但是在印度,水常常是被汙染的。
00:49
So my parents父母 have to make sure
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所以我父母必須確保
我們喝的水是安全的。
00:51
that the water we drink is safe安全.
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00:54
However然而, I soon不久 realized實現
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然而我很快就意識到
不是每個人都像我們一樣幸運,
00:56
that not everyone大家 is fortunate幸運 enough足夠
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00:59
to enjoy請享用 the clean清潔 water we did.
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能喝到乾淨的水。
01:03
Outside my grandparents'祖父母' house
in the busy streets街道 of India印度,
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我看到在我祖父母的房子外,
在印度的大街小巷裡,
01:07
I saw people standing常設 in long lines
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人們在大太陽下排著長隊,
01:10
under the hot sun太陽
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從水龍頭往桶裡接水。
01:11
filling填充 buckets水桶 with water from a tap龍頭.
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01:15
I even saw children孩子,
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我甚至看到
一些看起來和我一樣大的孩子,
01:17
who looked看著 the same相同 age年齡 as me,
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01:20
filling填充 up these clear明確 plastic塑料 bottles瓶子
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裝滿整塑膠瓶
01:22
with dirty water
from streams on the roadside路邊.
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路邊小河裡的髒水。
我看到這些孩子
01:26
Watching觀看 these kids孩子
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不得不喝
01:28
forced被迫 to drink water
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01:30
that I felt was too dirty to touch觸摸
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我連碰都覺得髒的水,
我的世界觀因此改變了。
01:33
changed my perspective透視 on the world世界.
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01:37
This unacceptable不可接受 social社會 injustice不公正
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這種令人不能接受的社會不公義
促使我想要找到
01:40
compelled被迫 me to want to find a solution
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解決世界淨水問題的方法。
01:43
to our world's世界 clean清潔 water problem問題.
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我想要知道為什麼這些
孩子如此缺水,
01:46
I wanted to know
why these kids孩子 lacked缺乏 water,
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01:50
a substance物質 that is essential必要 for life.
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它可是生命的必需品。
我發現我們正面臨著
01:53
And I learned學到了 that we are facing面對
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全球水源危機。
01:55
a global全球 water crisis危機.
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這可能令你驚訝,
01:58
Now, this may可能 seem似乎 surprising奇怪,
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02:00
as 75 percent百分 of our planet行星
is covered覆蓋 in water,
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因為地球表面的 75% 都是水,
02:04
but only 2.5 percent百分
of that is freshwater淡水,
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但是只有 2.5% 是淡水,
02:08
and less than one percent百分
of Earth's地球 freshwater淡水 supply供應
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而淡水中只有不到 1%,
可以供人類使用。
02:12
is available可得到 for human人的 consumption消費.
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隨著人口的增長,
02:15
With rising升起 populations人群,
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02:17
industrial產業 development發展
and economic經濟 growth發展,
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工業和經濟的發展,
我們對乾淨水的需求越來越大,
02:20
our demand需求 for clean清潔 water is increasing增加,
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但我們的淡水資源正被迅速地消耗。
02:23
yet然而 our freshwater淡水 resources資源
are rapidly急速 depleting消耗.
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02:27
According根據 to the
World世界 Health健康 Organization組織,
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根據世界衛生組織的數據,
世界上有 6 億 6 千萬人
02:30
660 million百萬 people in our world世界
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缺少淨水資源。
02:34
lack缺乏 access訪問 to a clean清潔 water source資源.
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缺少淨水資源是發展中國家
02:37
Lack缺乏 of access訪問 to clean清潔 water
is a leading領導 cause原因 of death死亡
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五歲以下兒童死亡的主要原因。
02:41
in children孩子 under the age年齡 of five
in developing發展 countries國家,
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02:44
and UNICEF聯合國兒童基金會 estimates估計 that 3,000 children孩子
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聯合國兒童基金會估計
每天有 3000 名兒童死於
與水有關的疾病。
02:47
die every一切 day from
a water-related水有關 disease疾病.
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所以國中二年級的夏天
我回家的時候,
02:52
So after returning回國 home
one summer夏季 in eighth第八 grade年級,
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02:55
I decided決定 that I wanted
to combine結合 my passion
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我決定要把
我對解決全球水源危機的熱情,
02:58
for solving the global全球 water crisis危機
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03:00
with my interest利益 in science科學.
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與我對科學的興趣結合起來。
03:03
So I decided決定 that the best最好 thing to do
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於是我決定
把我的車庫改裝成實驗室。
03:05
would be to convert兌換 my garage車庫
into a laboratory實驗室.
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(笑聲)
03:11
(Laughter笑聲)
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其實最開始我把家裡
廚房改成了實驗室,
03:13
Actually其實, at first I converted轉換
my kitchen廚房 into a laboratory實驗室,
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03:17
but my parents父母 didn't really approve批准
and kicked me out.
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但我父母並不贊成,把我趕出去了。
03:21
I also read a lot of journal日誌 papers文件
on water-related水有關 research研究,
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我還讀了許多
關於水研究的學術論文,
我了解到現在在發展中國家,
03:25
and I learned學到了 that currently目前
in developing發展 countries國家,
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一種叫太陽能消毒,
03:28
something called solar太陽能 disinfection消毒,
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03:31
or SODISSODIS, is used to purify淨化 water.
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又叫陽光殺菌法的方法
被用來淨化水。
陽光殺菌法就是把裝著汙水的塑料瓶
03:35
In SODISSODIS, clear明確 plastic塑料 bottles瓶子
are filled填充 with contaminated污染 water
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03:39
and then exposed裸露 to sunlight陽光
for six to eight hours小時.
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放在陽光下曬 6 到 8 小時。
03:43
The UVUV radiation輻射 from the sun太陽
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太陽的紫外線
能夠破壞有害病原體的 DNA,
03:45
destroys破陣 the DNA脫氧核糖核酸
of these harmful有害 pathogens病原體
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從而淨水。
03:49
and decontaminates進行淨化 the water.
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03:51
Now, while SODISSODIS is really easy簡單 to use
and energy-efficient高效節能,
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儘管陽光殺菌法很好用,
03:55
as it only uses使用 solar太陽能 energy能源,
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又因僅僅利用太陽能而節省能源,
這方法實在太慢了,
03:57
it's really slow,
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03:59
as it can take up to two days
when it's cloudy多雲的.
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因為陰天的時候就要花兩天,
所以為了加快陽光消毒法的進程,
04:02
So in order訂購 to make
the SODISSODIS process處理 faster更快,
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04:06
this new method方法 called photocatalysis光催化
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一項名為光催化法的技術
04:09
has recently最近 been used.
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最近開始興起。
04:11
So what exactly究竟 is this photocatalysis光催化?
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光催化法到底是什麼呢?
我來解釋一下:
04:14
Let's break打破 it down:
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04:15
"photo照片" means手段 from the sun太陽,
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「光」指從太陽來,
催化劑是一種能使反應加速的物質。
04:17
and a catalyst催化劑 is something
that speeds速度 up a reaction反應.
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所以光催化法
04:21
So what photocatalysis光催化 is doing
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04:23
is it's just speeding超速 up
this solar太陽能 disinfection消毒 process處理.
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就是加速太陽能消毒的過程。
04:27
When sunlight陽光 comes in
and strikes罷工 a photocatalyst光觸媒,
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當陽光照射到光催化劑,
04:30
like TiO二氧化鈦2, or titanium dioxide二氧化碳,
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例如氧化鈦,或二氧化鈦,
04:34
it creates創建 these
really reactive反應 oxygen species種類,
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會產生活性很強的氧化物,
比如超氧化物、過氧化氫和羥基。
04:37
like superoxides過氧化物, hydrogen peroxide過氧化物
and hydroxyl radicals自由基.
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這些活性氧類
04:42
These reactive反應 oxygen species種類
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04:44
are able能夠 to remove去掉 bacteria and organics有機物
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可以消滅細菌和有機物
以及很多飲用水中的汙染物。
04:47
and a whole整個 lot of contaminants污染物
from drinking water.
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04:51
But unfortunately不幸,
there are several一些 disadvantages缺點
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但不幸的是,
目前光催化太陽能消毒法

有一些缺陷。
04:55
to the way photocatalytic光催化 SODISSODIS
is currently目前 deployed部署.
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比方說,現在大家的做法是,
04:59
See, what they do is they take
the clear明確 plastic塑料 bottles瓶子
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把乾淨塑膠瓶的內壁塗上光催化劑。
05:02
and they coat塗層 the inside
with this photocatalytic光催化 coating塗層.
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但是像二氧化鈦一類的光催化劑,
05:07
But photocatalysts光催化劑 like titanium dioxide二氧化碳
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其實常被用於防曬霜上
05:10
are actually其實 commonly常用 used in sunscreens防曬霜
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以抵擋紫外線。
05:13
to block UVUV radiation輻射.
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05:15
So when they're coated
on the inside of these bottles瓶子,
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所以當瓶子的內壁被塗滿二氧化鈦,
它們實際上就阻擋了一些紫外線,
05:18
they're actually其實 blocking閉塞
some of the UVUV radiation輻射
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05:21
and diminishing逐漸縮小的 the efficiency效率
of the process處理.
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而淨水的效率也就變低了。
05:24
Also, these photocatalytic光催化 coatings塗料
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並且這些光催化劑塗層
05:26
are not tightly緊緊 bound
to the plastic塑料 bottle瓶子,
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不是與塑膠瓶密不可分,
05:29
which哪一個 means手段 they wash off,
and people end結束 up drinking the catalyst催化劑.
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這就意味著它們會被洗掉,
而人們會喝掉一些催化劑。
儘管二氧化鈦對人體無害,
05:34
While TiO二氧化鈦2 is safe安全 and inert惰性的,
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05:37
it's really inefficient低效
if you keep drinking the catalyst催化劑,
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這還是會導致淨水效率低下,
因為催化劑被喝掉後,
總是需要補充。
05:39
because then you have
to continue繼續 to replenish補充 it,
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05:42
even after a few少數 uses使用.
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05:44
So my goal目標 was
to overcome克服 the disadvantages缺點
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因此我的目標就是克服
目前淨水方法的缺陷,
05:47
of these current當前 treatment治療 methods方法
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05:49
and create創建 a safe安全, sustainable可持續發展,
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發明一種安全、永續、
成本效益高、環保的淨水方法。
05:52
cost-effective經濟有效 and eco-friendly環保的
method方法 of purifying清潔 water.
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本來只是我國中二年級科展計畫,
05:57
What started開始 off as an eighth第八 grade年級
science科學 fair公平 project項目
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06:00
is now my photocatalytic光催化 composite綜合
for water purification純化.
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現在變成我水源淨化的
光催化複合配方。
06:05
The composite綜合 combines聯合收割機
titanium dioxide二氧化碳 with cement水泥.
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這個複合物包含二氧化鈦和水泥。
水泥使化合物可以塑形,
06:09
The cement-like水泥樣 composite綜合 can be formed形成
into several一些 different不同 shapes形狀,
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06:13
which哪一個 results結果 in an extremely非常
versatile多才多藝 range範圍 of deployment部署 methods方法.
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這就使運用方法很靈活。
06:18
For example, you could create創建 a rod竿
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例如,可以做成桿狀,
很容易放在瓶子裡供個人使用,
06:20
that can easily容易 be placed放置
inside water bottles瓶子 for individual個人 use
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或者用多孔過濾網為家庭濾水。
06:24
or you could create創建 a porous多孔 filter過濾
that can filter過濾 water for families家庭.
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你甚至可以把水箱內壁塗上催化劑,
06:29
You can even coat塗層 the inside
of an existing現有 water tank坦克
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在較長的時間內
06:33
to purify淨化 larger amounts of water
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06:35
for communities社區
over a longer period of time.
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為整個社區淨化大量水。
06:39
Now, over the course課程 of this,
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在整個過程中,
我的工作並不簡單。
06:41
my journey旅程 hasn't有沒有 really been easy簡單.
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06:44
You know, I didn't have access訪問
to a sophisticated複雜的 laboratory實驗室.
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我沒有精密的實驗室,
06:47
I was 14 years年份 old when I started開始,
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我當時只有 14 歲,
但我沒有讓年齡成為
06:51
but I didn't let my age年齡 deter阻止 me
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我的興趣和科研追求的阻力。
06:53
in my interest利益
in pursuing追求 scientific科學 research研究
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我希望解決全球水資源危機。
06:56
and wanting希望 to solve解決
the global全球 water crisis危機.
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06:59
See, water isn't
just the universal普遍 solvent溶劑.
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水不只是通用的溶劑,
水是通用的人權。
07:03
Water is a universal普遍 human人的 right.
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正因如此,
07:07
And for that reason原因,
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我繼續著 2012 年科展項目,
07:08
I'm continuing繼續 to work
on this science科學 fair公平 project項目 from 2012
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07:12
to bring帶來 it from the laboratory實驗室
into the real真實 world世界.
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把它們從實驗室帶入現實世界。
07:15
And this summer夏季,
I founded成立 Catalyst催化劑 for World世界 Water,
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這個夏天,我成立了
「世界水的催化劑」,
一個致力於催化全球水源危機
解決方案的社會企業。
07:19
a social社會 enterprise企業 aimed針對 at catalyzing催化
solutions解決方案 to the global全球 water crisis危機.
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(掌聲)
07:25
(Applause掌聲)
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一滴水不能做什麼,
07:32
Alone單獨, a single drop下降 of water
can't do much,
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07:36
but when many許多 drops滴劑 come together一起,
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但當許多滴水匯於一處,
07:38
they can sustain支持 life on our planet行星.
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就可以供養地球上的生命。
07:42
Just as water drops滴劑
come together一起 to form形成 oceans海洋,
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就像水滴匯成大海,
07:45
I believe that we all must必須 come together一起
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我相信我們必須合力
07:48
when tackling搶斷 this global全球 problem問題.
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來解決這個全球問題。
謝謝。
07:51
Thank you.
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(掌聲)
07:52
(Applause掌聲)
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謝謝。
07:55
Thank you.
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(掌聲)
07:57
(Applause掌聲)
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Translated by Mingyu Cui
Reviewed by Regina Chu

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Deepika Kurup - Inventor, student scientist
Water is the basis of life, and too many people around the world suffer from waterborne illnesses. Deepika Kurup is working to change that.

Why you should listen

Deepika Kurup is a scientist, speaker, social entrepreneur and student at Harvard University. She has been passionate about solving the global water crisis ever since she was in middle school. After witnessing children in India drinking dirty water, Kurup developed a water purification system that harnesses solar energy to remove contaminants from water.

Recognized as "America’s Top Young Scientist" in 2012, Kurup won the grand prize in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. In 2014 she was honored with the "United States President's Environmental Youth Award" and represented the United States in Stockholm, Sweden at the international Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Most recently Kurup was named one of the Forbes' "30 Under 30: Energy" and was the National Geographic Explorer Award Winner in the 2015 Google Science Fair. She attended the 2016 (and 2013) White House Science Fair. Currently she is CEO and founder Catalyst for World Water, a social enterprise aimed at deploying the technology she developed in water-scarce areas. 

Along with research, Kurup is passionate about STEM education, and she feels that STEM education has the power to revolutionize the world. In her free time, she enjoys giving talks and writing articles to encourage students all around the world to pursue science, technology, engineering and math, and to increase awareness of the global water crisis. She has been invited to speak at schools, international conferences and the United Nations. 

More profile about the speaker
Deepika Kurup | Speaker | TED.com