The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation has awarded SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, NY a $6,550 (USD) research grant to use probabilistic-risk assessment and fault tree analysis (FTA) to evaluate potential groundwater degradation from hydraulic fracturing. Both the principal investigator for the research project, Carolyn Rodak, PhD and co-investigator, Xinchao Wei, are assistant professors in the College of Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Their research aims to develop models and data standards that bring together scientific data to inform local policymakers and decision-makers, and assist local officials in responding to public concerns regarding contamination of drinking water from household wells.