Awards

2011 EPA P3 Youth Council on Sustainable Science and Technology Award

Students from the University of Delaware were the recipients of the 2011 Youth Council on Sustainable Science and Technology Award (YCOSST) for their unique use of local materials to design sustainable apparel and footwear.The University of Delaware also received a P3  Honorable Mention Award.

The team of fashion students from the University of Delaware partnered with their engineering department to develop apparel and footwear products from thermoset resins, polyurethane foams, adhesive and nonwoven insulative materials derived from plant oils and chicken feathers. Their designs have even received support from Reebok and Nike. The project exceeded the YCOSST award criteria, which required the research and design involve interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative technologies, and locally produced materials. Check out the video and Chenected blog post to learn more.

• 2010 YCOSST Award: Wellesley College "The SolSource 3-in-1: A Comprehensive Decentralized Solar Energy Platform" 
• 2009 YCOSST Award: University of Pittsburgh-Main Campus "Removal of Arsenic from Groundwater Using Naturally Occuring Iron Oxides in Rural Regions of Inner Mongolia (China)" 
• 2008 YCOSST Award: University of Idaho "Architecture as Pedagogy: Interdisciplinary Design and Creation of a Carbon Neutral Idaho Environmental learning Center at the University of Idaho McCall Field Campus" 
• 2007 YCOSST Award: University of Virginia "The Learning Barge: Environmental & Cultural Ecologies on the Elizabeth River" 

2011 Sustainable Engineering Forum Student Paper Award

This award is presented to full-time undergraduate or graduate students who prepare the best technical papers that describe results related to engineering and sustainability.

This year's award recipients include Mr. Xiang Li of Lamar University and Mr. Viet Pham of Texas A&M University.

Xiang Li, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lamar University, “Incorporating Exergy Analysis and Inherent Safety Analysis for Sustainability Assessment of Biofuels,” published in Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. (2011), 50, 2981-2993 (co-authors: Anand Zanwar, Abhishek Jayswal, Dr. Helen H. Lou and Dr. Yinlun Huang; advisor: Professor Helen H. Lou).

Mr. Xiang Li is a PhD student in chemical engineering at Lamar University. His area of research includes design for sustainability, process modeling and simulation.

This paper presents a novel approach for applying exergy analysis and inherently safe design principles to evaluate the sustainability of chemical systems. The efficacy of this methodology is demonstrated through a case study on biodiesel production processes. In conjunction with a multi-criteria decision-analysis method, this methodology will provide critical guidance to the designers.

Viet Pham, Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, “Techno-Economic Analysis of Biomass to Fuel via the MixAlco Process,” published in Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2010), 37(11), 1157-1168 (co-authors: Dr. Mark Holtzapple and Dr. Mahmoud El-Halwagi; advisor: Professor Mahmoud El-Halwagi)

Mr. Viet Pham is a Ph.D. candidate at the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University. His work is on the cutting edge of using chemical engineering fundamentals in a unique, innovative, and rigorous manner to solve a pressing problem in the area of sustainable design.

The paper developed and applied various tools in synthesis, simulation, design, and economic analysis for a novel process of converting various types of biomass into mixed alcohols that can be used directly as biofuels or converted to liquid transportation fuels.

• 2010 Student Paper Award: Eman Tora, Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, "Optimal Design and Integration of Solar Systems and Fossil Fuels for Sustainable and Stable Power Outlet"
• 2010 Student Paper Award Runner-Up: Chaowei Liu, Department of Chemical Engineering, Lamar University, "Emission Source Characterization for Proactive Flare Minimization During Ethylene Plant Start-Ups"
• 2008 Student Paper Award: Ana Carvalho, Technical University of Denmark and the Insituto Superior Tecnico-Portugal, "Design of Sustainable Chemical Processes: Systematic Retrofit Analysis Generation and Evaluation of Alternatives"
• 2008 Student Paper Award: Cristina Piluso, Wayne State University, "Ecological Input-Output Analysis-Based Sustainability Analysis of Industrial Systems"