Our 2010 SCUT graduate, Jianing Dai, currently majoring in Biosystems Engineering at Clemson University with his teammates: William Wilson (Forestry & Natural Resources), Elizabeth O’Rourke (Forestry & Natural Resources), and Fan Yang (Electrical Engineering) attended the 7th Annual National Sustainable Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on April 15-17, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  While there, they competed in the EPA’s P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet student design competition for sustainability.  Their project “Power field monitoring equipment with wetland detritus using microbial fuel cells” received an Honorable Mention Award. Detritus or organic matter stored in forest / wetland / estuarine ecosystems represents a large potential source of energy. Microbial fuel cells (MFC), which can convert organic wastes into electricity, are a potential tool to harvest this renewable energy to power field equipment in remote areas. Faculty advisors for the students were Dr. Alex Chow, an honorary faculty in our college.

Each of the 55 student teams from around the US previously received a $10,000 grant in the competition’s Phase I funding and is now eligible to win up to $75,000 in Phase II funding to further develop their project.  The Expo was a unique opportunity to discover innovative, cutting-edge technologies developed by university students and their faculty advisors, learn what nonprofit organizations and government agencies are doing to advance sustainability, and experience sustainable products that are currently available.

About the National Sustainable Design Expo
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Earth Day event featured the National Sustainable Design Expo where EPA, green businesses, non-profits, government agencies and college students from across the country showcased their efforts to protect the planet.  College student teams were competing for EPA’s coveted People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) award, www.epa.gov/p3, which recognizes innovative solutions for a sustainable future and provides up to $75,000 of funding to further develop their projects. Several former P3 teams have actually gone on to create small green businesses and non-profits working with local nongovernmental organizations to implement their innovations. Additionally, the event included great hands-on activities for all ages ranging from kids to adults.