JohnyBear, Debra

English

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
4-2-2007
UNH Students Compete In International Design
Contest
Debra JohnyBear
UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
JohnyBear, Debra, "UNH Students Compete In International Design Contest" (2007). UNH Today. 746.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/746
9/17/2016 UNH Students Compete in International Design Contest
http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/apr/dj02werc.cfm.html 1/2
UNH Media Relations 
UNH Students Compete In International Design Contest
Contact:  Debra JohnyBear 
603­862­3102
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
April 2, 2007
DURHAM, N.H. ­­ University of New Hampshire students will be among the college and high
school students from throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico who participate in the 17th
Annual International Environmental Design Contest (EDC) April 1­4 at New Mexico State
University.
Twelve seniors from UNH are competing in this year’s Design Contest. Andrew Clements
(environmental engineering major), Tiffany D’Amour (business), Lisa Damiano (environmental
engineering), Katherine Dietz (business), Shawn Dupont (business), Christopher Getman
(business), Steven Granese (civil engineering), Michael Olson (environmental engineering),
Jessica Tokson (environmental engineering), Bret Tolivaisa (environmental engineering),
Eduard Viel (environmental engineering) and Amalia Wosiski­Kuhn (environmental
engineering) will tackle Task 4: Conversion of Biomass Resource to Useful Forms of Energy
and Other Products. This year’s design challenges revolve around water, its viability and
availability and renewable energy sources. The students’ faculty advisor is Jenna Jambeck,
research assistant professor in UNH’s Environmental Research Group.
Sponsored by the Waste Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC), which
includes several universities and national laboratories in New Mexico, the annual contest
involves tackling real­life problems provided by industry and government. The WERC EDC is
the only contest in the world that provides a competitive challenge and means of interaction
for university and high school students who are involved in environmental education. With
seven years of participation and two overall wins, the UNH team has a strong history of
performing well at this international competition. While focusing on the conservation of energy
and natural resources, UNH’s WERC team’s (MicroCellutions’ Inc.) goal is to provide farmers
with innovative solutions to waste management for the betterment of the environment and
the safety of the farmer.
As a responsible member of the global community, MicroCellutions, Inc. is progressing
renewable energy technologies by designing a single­chamber, open­air microbial fuel cell
(MOR­2007) that successfully converts cow manure directly into electricity. The MOR­2007 is
designed to reduce maintenance, operational difficulty, energy requirements, odors, chemical
oxygen demand (COD), and phosphorus, while minimizing the impact of current manure
management practices on air and water quality. Residuals from MOR­2007 can be easily
composted to provide bedding or land applied to cropland providing essential nutrients for
plant uptake. This cyclical approach to nutrient management on the farm minimizes costs for
additional fertilizers and bedding materials. MicroCellutions’ innovative technology and design,
along with their education of farmers about microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology through
public outreach, will provide dairy farmers with an alternative and sustainable manure
management system.
Lisa Damiano, UNH environmental engineering senior, said that “participating in an
interdisciplinary group with students from business, civil engineering, and environmental
engineering was a valuable learning experience. While selecting a project we focused on being
innovative. We soon discovered that being innovative was much harder than anticipated
9/17/2016 UNH Students Compete in International Design Contest
http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/apr/dj02werc.cfm.html 2/2
because along with learning about it, we had to create our own technology before we could
even start to build our project. Although it was a lot of hard work, it was a fun project and I
feel good about. We hope to represent UNH well at the annual competition.”
Participating in this year’s contest are 34 different university teams from all over the U.S.
including Mexico, Canada, and Hungary, in addition to 25 teams that will participate in a
separate concurrent high school competition. Teams will compete in seven different tasks for
cash prizes, trophies, and worldwide recognition.
The UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences integrated several disciplines into this
environmental engineering capstone senior design project. Students in the interdisciplinary
group represent the following majors at UNH: Environmental Engineering­Municipal Processes,
Civil Engineering, and Business­Entrepreneurial Venture Creation (along with Whittemore
School of Business Professor Jeff Sohl). For more information, contact Jenna Jambeck at 603­
862­4023, Jenna.Jambeck@unh.edu or www.werc.net.
The UNH WERC project was made possible thanks to the efforts of the students themselves,
who raised money from outside sponsors to fund their trip to New Mexico. WERC 2006/07
Team (MicroCellutions’ Inc.) would like to thank the following financial contributors: John Aber
(UNH vice president of research and public service); Appledore Engineering, Inc.; Aries
Engineering, Inc.; Stephen Bolander (Dean, Whittemore School of Business and Economics);
Mr. and Mrs. Larry J. Clements; DeFelice Corporation; Taylor Eighmy; Environmental
Compliance Services, Inc.; Environmental Research Group; GeoInsight;, Inc.; Golder
Associates, Inc.; N. Granese and Sons, Inc.; Hoyle, Tanner, & Associates, Inc.; Joe Klewicki
(Dean, College of Engineering and Physical Science); MacGuire Group, Inc.; Malcolm Pirnie,
Inc.; E.J. Prescott, Inc.; Ransom Environmental Consultants, Inc.; Resource Laboratories,
LLC; Rath, Young, and Pignatelli, PC; Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc.; Underwood
Engineering, Inc.; and Waste Management Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc.
Photo available to download: http://unh.edu/news/img/werc07.JPG
Caption: Twelve UNH senior engineering and business students participated in the 17th
Annual International Environmental Design Contest (EDC) April 1­4 at New Mexico State
University. Left to right: Andrew Clements, Steven Granese, Bret Tolivaisa (back), Amalia
Wosiski­Kuhn (front), Eduard Viel (back), Lisa Damiano (front), Christopher Getman (back),
Jessica Tokson (front), Michael Olson (back), Shawn Dupont (front), Tiffany D’Amour (front),
Katherine Dietz (back) and Jenna Jambeck (front), research assistant professor in the
Environmental Research Group and the faculty advisor.


UNH Students Compete In International Design Contest

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices4-2-2007UNH Students Compete In International DesignContestDebra JohnyBearUNH College of Engineering and Physical SciencesFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationJohnyBear, Debra, "UNH Students Compete In International Design Contest" (2007). UNH Today. 746.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/7469/17/2016 UNH Students Compete in International Design Contesthttp://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/apr/dj02werc.cfm.html 1/2UNH Media Relations UNH Students Compete In International Design ContestContact:  Debra JohnyBear 603­862­3102College of Engineering and Physical SciencesApril 2, 2007DURHAM, N.H. ­­ University of New Hampshire students will be among the college and highschool students from throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico who participate in the 17thAnnual International Environmental Design Contest (EDC) April 1­4 at New Mexico StateUniversity.Twelve seniors from UNH are competing in this year’s Design Contest. Andrew Clements(environmental engineering major), Tiffany D’Amour (business), Lisa Damiano (environmentalengineering), Katherine Dietz (business), Shawn Dupont (business), Christopher Getman(business), Steven Granese (civil engineering), Michael Olson (environmental engineering),Jessica Tokson (environmental engineering), Bret Tolivaisa (environmental engineering),Eduard Viel (environmental engineering) and Amalia Wosiski­Kuhn (environmentalengineering) will tackle Task 4: Conversion of Biomass Resource to Useful Forms of Energyand Other Products. This year’s design challenges revolve around water, its viability andavailability and renewable energy sources. The students’ faculty advisor is Jenna Jambeck,research assistant professor in UNH’s Environmental Research Group.Sponsored by the Waste Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC), whichincludes several universities and national laboratories in New Mexico, the annual contestinvolves tackling real­life problems provided by industry and government. The WERC EDC isthe only contest in the world that provides a competitive challenge and means of interactionfor university and high school students who are involved in environmental education. Withseven years of participation and two overall wins, the UNH team has a strong history ofperforming well at this international competition. While focusing on the conservation of energyand natural resources, UNH’s WERC team’s (MicroCellutions’ Inc.) goal is to provide farmerswith innovative solutions to waste management for the betterment of the environment andthe safety of the farmer.As a responsible member of the global community, MicroCellutions, Inc. is progressingrenewable energy technologies by designing a single­chamber, open­air microbial fuel cell(MOR­2007) that successfully converts cow manure directly into electricity. The MOR­2007 isdesigned to reduce maintenance, operational difficulty, energy requirements, odors, chemicaloxygen demand (COD), and phosphorus, while minimizing the impact of current manuremanagement practices on air and water quality. Residuals from MOR­2007 can be easilycomposted to provide bedding or land applied to cropland providing essential nutrients forplant uptake. This cyclical approach to nutrient management on the farm minimizes costs foradditional fertilizers and bedding materials. MicroCellutions’ innovative technology and design,along with their education of farmers about microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology throughpublic outreach, will provide dairy farmers with an alternative and sustainable manuremanagement system.Lisa Damiano, UNH environmental engineering senior, said that “participating in aninterdisciplinary group with students from business, civil engineering, and environmentalengineering was a valuable learning experience. While selecting a project we focused on beinginnovative. We soon discovered that being innovative was much harder than anticipated9/17/2016 UNH Students Compete in International Design Contesthttp://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/apr/dj02werc.cfm.html 2/2because along with learning about it, we had to create our own technology before we couldeven start to build our project. Although it was a lot of hard work, it was a fun project and Ifeel good about. We hope to represent UNH well at the annual competition.”Participating in this year’s contest are 34 different university teams from all over the U.S.including Mexico, Canada, and Hungary, in addition to 25 teams that will participate in aseparate concurrent high school competition. Teams will compete in seven different tasks forcash prizes, trophies, and worldwide recognition.The UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences integrated several disciplines into thisenvironmental engineering capstone senior design project. Students in the interdisciplinarygroup represent the following majors at UNH: Environmental Engineering­Municipal Processes,Civil Engineering, and Business­Entrepreneurial Venture Creation (along with WhittemoreSchool of Business Professor Jeff Sohl). For more information, contact Jenna Jambeck at 603­862­4023, Jenna.Jambeck@unh.edu or www.werc.net.The UNH WERC project was made possible thanks to the efforts of the students themselves,who raised money from outside sponsors to fund their trip to New Mexico. WERC 2006/07Team (MicroCellutions’ Inc.) would like to thank the following financial contributors: John Aber(UNH vice president of research and public service); Appledore Engineering, Inc.; AriesEngineering, Inc.; Stephen Bolander (Dean, Whittemore School of Business and Economics);Mr. and Mrs. Larry J. Clements; DeFelice Corporation; Taylor Eighmy; EnvironmentalCompliance Services, Inc.; Environmental Research Group; GeoInsight;, Inc.; GolderAssociates, Inc.; N. Granese and Sons, Inc.; Hoyle, Tanner, & Associates, Inc.; Joe Klewicki(Dean, College of Engineering and Physical Science); MacGuire Group, Inc.; Malcolm Pirnie,Inc.; E.J. Prescott, Inc.; Ransom Environmental Consultants, Inc.; Resource Laboratories,LLC; Rath, Young, and Pignatelli, PC; Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc.; UnderwoodEngineering, Inc.; and Waste Management Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc.Photo available to download: http://unh.edu/news/img/werc07.JPGCaption: Twelve UNH senior engineering and business students participated in the 17thAnnual International Environmental Design Contest (EDC) April 1­4 at New Mexico StateUniversity. Left to right: Andrew Clements, Steven Granese, Bret Tolivaisa (back), AmaliaWosiski­Kuhn (front), Eduard Viel (back), Lisa Damiano (front), Christopher Getman (back),Jessica Tokson (front), Michael Olson (back), Shawn Dupont (front), Tiffany D’Amour (front),Katherine Dietz (back) and Jenna Jambeck (front), research assistant professor in theEnvironmental Research Group and the faculty advisor.

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UNH Students Compete In International Design Contest

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