American Public Health Champion Receives 2010 Stockholm Water Prize

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, March 22, 2010 - Dr. Rita Colwell, distinguished Professor from the University of Maryland
and John Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health in the United
States, has been named the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate. Dr. Colwell's
pioneering research on the prevention of waterborne infectious diseases has
helped protect the health and lives of millions.

For full press release, translations, photos, audio and video material,
visit: www.siwi.org/SWP2010

Dr. Colwell, 76, is widely recognized as one of this century's most
influential voices in science, technology, and policy associated with water
and health. She has made exceptional contributions to control the spread of
cholera, a waterborne pathogen that infects 3 to 5 million people and leads
to an estimated 120,000 deaths each year. Through her groundbreaking
research, innovations and decades of scientific leadership, she has defined
our current understanding of the ecology of infectious diseases and developed
the use of advanced technologies to halt their spread. Her work has
established the basis for environmental and infectious disease risk
assessment used around the world.

"Dr. Rita Colwell's numerous seminal contributions towards solving the
world's water and water-related public health problems, particularly her work
to prevent the spread of cholera, is of utmost global importance", noted the
Stockholm Water Prize Nominating Committee in its citation.

Dr. Colwell has shown that certain bacteria, including the causative
agent for cholera, can be present in natural environments in a dormant stage
that could revert to an infectious state under the proper conditions. As a
result of her work, scientists are now able to link changes in the natural
environment to the spread of disease. Dr. Colwell was the first scientist to
research the impacts of climate change on the spread of infectious diseases.
She has also developed models to track and predict disease outbreaks, using
remote sensing technology and satellite models.

Dr. Colwell has held many high-level positions in the USA and
internationally, and has greatly influenced the development of science in her
own discipline, and broader. She has worked extensively throughout South
Asia, Latin America and Africa.

H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden will formally present Dr. Colwell
with the 2010 Stockholm Water Prize on September 9 during the 2010 World
Water Week in Stockholm. The Stockholm Water Prize is a global award
presented annually by the Stockholm International Water Institute. The
Stockholm Water Prize Laureate receives USD 150,000 and a crystal sculpture
specially designed by Orrefors.

    For more information, contact:

    Britt-Louise Andersson, SIWI
    +46-8-522-139-72
    britt-louise.andersson@siwi.org

    Lovisa Selander, SIWI,
    +46-8-522-139-86
    lovisa.selander@siwi.org

For more information, contact: Britt-Louise Andersson, SIWI, +46-8-522-139-72, britt-louise.andersson at siwi.org; Lovisa Selander, SIWI, +46-8-522-139-86, lovisa.selander at siwi.org