To build a community of international innovators, REACT will leverage the new Inter-Departmental Senior Design (ISD) Project at Penn that includes 3-5 undergraduates working on a project that requires an interdisciplinary approach. REACT faculty and Solvay scientists will serve as “tent advisors” for a student team that will design and assemble a tent that captures and purifies water, prevents the spread of infection, and produces/stores energy in the aftermath of natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. This topic naturally requires expertise from materials scientists, bioengineers, and electrical, mechanical and chemical engineers.
2015-2016 Senior Design Team members** discuss their ideas with Professors Winey and Composto. **(left to right: Gracie Salmon, Jason Woo, Sonya Kripke)
Initially, students will use existing technologies (e.g., Teflon®), and then sequentially add active coating technologies as they develop. This prototype tent will serve as the focal point for a design challenge that invites high school students from Delaware Valley and Grenoble, through GIANT’s high school-level “Innov@school” program, to participate in a poster competition (real and virtual) during the annual Philly Materials Day. This tent will also be showcased at CANOPEA, a new concept building project in Grenoble.
2015-2016 Research Poster (Surface Modifications for Dew Collection)