Extramural Research - People, Prosperity and the Planet
2011/2012 P3 Teams
P3 Research Project Search
2011/2012 P3 Grant Recipients - Phase 1: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity, and the Planet
| Institution | EPA Grant Number | Project Title | Project Description | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | SU836015 | An On-Site Biological Graywater Treatment System Suitable for a Small Business | Appalachian State University students are developing an artificial wetland suitable for recycling of graywater from small businesses for immediate reuse. [Read More] |  |
| Arizona State University | SU836016 | Developing Commercially Viable Culture Media from Wastewaters Optimized for the Emerging Microalgae-based Biofuel Industry | Arizona State University students are investigating how nutrient wastes from wastewater treatment plants can be used to create an inexpensive algae culture media for biofuel production. [Read More] |  |
| Blackburn College | SU836034 | Mycocomposting of waster paper and the search for the next Biofuel | Blackburn College students are isolating fungi strains to test whether they can convert cellulose/lignin waste from paper to biofuels in a composting facility. [Read More] |  |
| Brigham Young University | SU836027 | Power Harvesting System For More Efficient, Cleaner Burning Cookstoves | Brigham Young University students are designing a power harvesting system that will extract power from the exhaust of a cookstove and use that power to ventilate the cooking space and improve combustion efficiency. [Read More] |  |
| Butte College Sustainable Community Development Institute |
SU835095 | Rice Hulls as Alternative Building (RHAB) Project | Butte College students are developing structural insulated panels for building construction using rice hulls, an abundant agricultural waste, as their primary raw material. [Read More] |  |
| Christian Brothers University | SU836029 | Neighborhood Building Envelop Energy Conservation and Outreach | Christian Brothers University students are developing technologies to improve energy efficiency in the building envelope of residences in Memphis, TN, that focus on the thermal properties of materials, fire safety, material stability, and cost. [Read More] |  |
| Clark Atlanta University | SU835083 | Recombinant Lignin-Degrading Enzymes to Digest Wood for Biofuel Production | Clark Atlanta University students are designing genes for bacteria that will produce lignin-degrading enzymes in plant cell walls to more efficiently produce the renewable fuel bioethanol. [Read More] |  |
| Clarkson University | SU835078 | Utilization of Byproducts from a Solid Waste Landfill for the Sustainable Production of Algae Biodiesel | Clarkson University students are studying the feasibility of using the waste heat from a solid waste management facility for energy to produce biodiesel from algae. The biodiesel returns as renewable energy to power the facility. [Read More] |  |
| Colorado State University | SU835087 | A Sustainable Design Paradigm for Smart Performance Textiles and Apparel | Colorado State University students are developing a “solar powered-natural fiber” for outdoor sports clothing that harvests solar energy as a substitute for alkaline batteries to power electronics. [Read More] |  |
| Cornell University | SU836023 | Point-of-Use Polyurethane Foam Filter | Cornell University students are developing a point-of-use filter that can safely treat high turbidity surface waters to provide safe drinking water to communities lacking access to municipally treated water. [Read More] |  |
| Drexel University | SU835081 | Waste to Fuel: Design of a Landfill Algae Bioreactor | Drexel University students are designing a pilot-scale reactor for a local landfill that uses algae to produce biofuels from landfill leachate and gas. [Read More] |  |
| Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University | SU836025 | Portable Solar Water Purification System for Public Use during Disaster Recovery | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students are designing a foldable solar power water purification system that can fit into a backpack for easy transport for use after a disaster that effects the drinking water supply. [Read More] |  |
| Gannon University | SU836031 | Prototype of a Biomass Energy-Source Generator and Remote Control and Monitoring | Gannon University students are developing a method for producing a renewable biofuel from grape pomace, the fruit residue left after removing the juice. [Read More] |  |
| Gonzaga University | SU835088 | Integrating Improved Sustainable Technologies into the Heart of the Home — The Kitchen | Gonzaga University students are developing a simple ventilation system for kitchens in rural dwellings using electrical power generated from thermoelectric cells driven by waste heat from cooking fires. [Read More] |  |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Central Campus | SU835085 | Green Infrastructure in Protection of Coastal Water Quality | Inter-American University of Puerto Rico students are evaluating green storm water infrastructure for how effective it is for reducing contaminants entering near shore environments. [Read More] |  |
| James Madison University | SU835082 | Research into the Design and Development of a Campus Composting Facility | James Madison University students are designing an aerobic composting facility on their campus for recycling food waste from dining halls that may reduce chemical fertilizer use and greenhouse gas emissions from landfills. [Read More] |  |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | SU836040 | Selective Source AC/DC Power Supply | Missouri University of Science and Technology students are developing a system that transmits DC power from a renewable energy source, such as solar power, without converting it to AC for transmission, thereby decreasing energy loss in conversion from DC to AC and back. [Read More] |  |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | SU835073 | Climate-Responsive Adaptive Controls for Natural Ventilation | Missouri University of Science and Technology students are developing a control system that opens and closes windows to maximize natural ventilation and save energy by sensing differences in outdoor and indoor climate conditions. [Read More] |  |
| New Mexico State University | SU836018 | Pyrolysis of Algal Biomass in a Solar Furnace Reactor | New Mexico State University students are developing a solar-driven reactor that converts solid wastes found in algal biofuel into additional liquid and gaseous biofuel to increase fuel production. [Read More] |  |
| Northern Illinois University | SU835130 | A Continuous-Operation Variable-Feedstock Biomass Gasifier Design Based on Indigenous Materials | Northern Illinois University students are developing a cookstove that allows farmers in developing countries to utilize biomass waste materials, such as water hyacinth, as a fuel to cook food and heat homes. [Read More] |  |
| Ohio University | SU836012 | Virtual Boat for Environmental Education (VBEE) | Ohio University students are designing a virtual boat that will provide the public with a tool to review the water quality index at locations along the Ohio River and trace sources of pollution. [Read More] |  |
| Oregon State University | SU836026 | Developing Sustainable Alternatives to Plastic Mulch | Oregon State University students are raising awareness of pollution associated with the production and use of plastic mulch and testing alternative biodegradable mulch materials. [Read More] |  |
| Princeton University | SU835099 | Wind Energy for Haiti: A Rapidly Deployable Renewable Energy System | Princeton University students are developing, testing, and deploying an electricity generation system that can be transported in a standard shipping container and rapidly set-up in post-disaster Haiti. [Read More] |  |
| Purdue University | SU835077 | Design of a Low Cost, Self Operating Hydraulic Ram Pump for Water Retention and Lifting in Developing Countries: Bringing Clean Water to Haiti | Purdue University students are designing, building and installing improved ram pumps in Haiti to improve the quality and quantity of safe drinking water for its citizens. [Read More] |  |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | SU836021 | Scalable, Low-impact, run-of-river Hydropower generator | Rochester Institute of Technology students are designing a hydrofoil system that harvests energy from a river while minimizing the harmful effects that dams create for river flow and sediments. [Read More] |  |
| Santa Clara University | SU836032 | Enhanced Solar Energy Harvest for Power Generation From Brayton Cycle | Santa Clara University students are developing a high efficiency solar absorber/exchanger that can bring low cost energy to urbanites who have limited space for solar collectors. [Read More] |  |
| Santa Clara University | SU835089 | Regenerative Fuel Cell for Off-Grid Renewable Energy Storage | Santa Clara University students are developing a fuel cell capable of continuous, sustainable energy supply to meet energy demands in rural communities in developing nations that lack reliable energy grids. [Read More] |  |
| Southern Illinois University - Carbondale | SU836028 | Sustainable Utilization of Coal Combustion Byproducts through the Production of High Grade Minerals and Cement-less Green Concrete | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale students are developing methods to extract (recycle) metals from Coal Combustion Byproducts (CCB) to reduce mining, and to produce a concrete with reduced carbon dioxide emissions. [Read More] |  |
| Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville | SU836036 | Use of Selenium-Contaminated Plant Waste Materials from Phytoremediation in Central California for Production of Selenium-Enriched Edible Mushrooms | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville students are evaluating the use of selenium-polluted plant waste materials harvested from phytoremediation sites to produce selenium-enriched edible mushrooms. [Read More] |  |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | SU836013 | Sustainably Overcoming Hindrance to Struvite Recovery from Anaerobically Digested Dairy Manure | SUNY College of Environmental Science and Engineering students are studying ways to recover struvite, a slow-release fertilizer, from digested animal manure and assess its marketability. [Read More] |  |
| Texas State University South China University of Technology |
SU835084 | Extracting Lignocellulose and Synthesizing Silica Nanoparticles from Rice Husks | Texas State University-San Marcos students are converting rice husks, a byproduct of agriculture, into a starter material called lignocellulose for producing fabrics, biofuel and silica nanoparticles . [Read More] |  |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | SU836019 | Characterisation of Ionised and Zero-Valent Metals as Disinfectants for Microbiologically Contaminated Water in Resource-Poor Settings | University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill students are creating and implementing a point-of-use disinfectant for drinking water that is cheap, non-toxic, and effective in reducing waterborne illness in developing nations. [Read More] |  |
| University of California - Davis | SU835074 | The Integration and Optimization of Sustainability Benefits from Shading-Type Green Roof Technology | University of California-Davis students are designing and monitoring an affordable green roof technology that uses the shading from plants to cool roof surfaces and reduce peak electricity demand by up to 75%. [Read More] |  |
| University of California - Irvine | SU836030 | Microbial Desalination Fuel Cell as a Sustainable Technology for Renewable Water and Power | University of California-Irvine students are designing a microbial desalination fuel cell (MDFC) as a pretreatment at the seawater desalination plant that will provide a sustainable supply of safe drinking water at minimal energy cost. [Read More] |  |
| University of California - Riverside | SU836024 | Heating Attic Air Using Solar Thermal Energy for Space Heating and Drying Applications | University of California-Riverside is designing a solar collector to heat ambient air for use in home appliances, such as clothes dryers and space heaters, to reduce home energy consumption. [Read More] |  |
| University of Cincinnati | SU836038 | Community Based Biodiesel Production from Trap Grease: The Evaluation of Technical and Economic Feasibilities | University of Cincinnati students are developing a pilot scale system to convert trap grease from restaurants, a waste sent to landfills, to renewable biodiesel. [Read More] |  |
| University of Connecticut | SU835079 | Sustainable Erosion Control in Developing Countries Using Industrial By-Products | University of Connecticut students are investigating ways to use industrial by-products such as steel slag and cement kiln ash for to control erosion and stabilize roads in developing countries. [Read More] |  |
| University of Delaware | SU835096 | Twenty-mile clothing: localized production of apparel and accessories from agriculture-based materials | University of Delaware students are designing and developing apparel and accessories using natural, renewable, and locally grown materials such as wool, mohair, chicken feather, and natural dyes. [Read More] |  |
| University of New Hampshire | SU835076 | Harvesting Wind Energy with Existing Bridge Underpass Infrastructure | University of New Hampshire students are testing the feasibility of using wind generated from traffic and natural flow through bridge underpasses to harvest energy for powering lighting, signals, and emergency warning systems. [Read More] |  |
| University of North Dakota | SU835086 | Development of a Biosensor for Monitoring of Mercury Pollution in Natural Water | University of North Dakota students are developing a biosensor that can detect low concentrations of mercury in the Red River of North Dakota. [Read More] |  |
| University of Oklahoma | SU835090 | Comparing the Sustainability of a Compressed Earth Block House to a Conventionally Framed House Built to National Green Building Standards | University of Oklahoma-Norman students will design, field-test, construct, instrument, analyze, and document a Habitat for Humanity (HFH) house built of compressed earth blocks (CEB). [Read More] |  |
| University of Texas at Austin | SU835075 | Use of Vermicomposting to Reduce Solid Waste Accumulations, Alleviate Flooding and Further Sustainable Development in Slum Settlements in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | University of Texas at Austin students are designing, constructing and testing a vermicomposting (composting with worms) bin to improve public health in developing nations by reducing water contamination from organic wastes. [Read More] |  |
| University of Toledo | SU836037 | Optimization and Sustainability of Converting Agricultural Animal Wastes into Biofuels | University of Toledo students are developing a process to convert animal wastes into a manure-based biosolids fuel for fuel at coal-fired power plants. [Read More] |  |
| Valdosta State University University of Georgia |
SU836033 | Application of Green Technology in the Production of Pharmaceuticals | Valdosta State University students are developing an economical and green aquaculture process for the production of pharmaceutical agents, particularly those from the ocean. [Read More] |  |
| Vanderbilt University | SU836022 | Don’t Eat Your Spinach: Nature Inspired Biohybrid Solar Cells | Vanderbilt University students will develop a biohybrid solar panel that substitutes a protein from spinach for rare metals (mined), and is capable of producing electrical energy. [Read More] |  |
2011/2012 P3 Grant Recipients - Phase 2: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity, and the Planet
| Institution | EPA Grant Number | Project Title | QR Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drexel University | SU835066 | Lightweight Green Roof Water Retention System | |
| Purdue University | SU835067 | Development of Community Power from Sustainable Small Hydro Power Systems – A Capacity Building Project in Bangang, Cameroon | |
| Stanford University | SU835068 | New Methods of Teaching Renewable Energy to Students | |
| University of Delaware | SU836007 | Development of apparel and footwear from renewable sources | |
| University of Georgia | SU836006 | Renewable Energy-Powered Bulk Milk Cooling for Smallholder Dairy Farmers | |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | SU835070 | Water Collection, Containment, and Self Regulating Distribution System | |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | SU835069 | Use of Bone Char for the Removal of Arsenic and Uranium from Groundwater at the Pine Ridge Reservation | |
| University of Massachusetts - Lowell | SU835071 | Novel 'Greener' Routes to Halogen-Free Flame Retardant Materials |
If you are a member of a 2011/2012 P3 team, review information for Current Grantees.