Tulane University facilitated the first of a multi-phase challenge series tackling hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. The “Tulane Nitrogen Reduction Grand Challenge” was an international competition that awarded $1 million to the entrepreneur, researcher or inventor with the best plan to reduce the amount of nutrients entering the world’s lakes, rivers, and oceans through storm water runoff and ultimately reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Robbie Kroger, Chief Scientific Officer at Covington Civil & Environmental, served as the lead scientific advisor to Tulane for the challenge. Robbie helped develop and implement the testing parameters and winning criteria for the challenge, identified and created the technical advisory council as well as managed the council for technical reviews of entries, and was the technical liaison for the challenge including being available for public events and providing technical feedback to public questions.
