First place, scholarship for pupil’s clean-energy tech presentation

A College of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa pupil’s work to enhance the effectivity of fuel-cell expertise was awarded first place within the pupil poster presentation session on the 13th World Filtration Congress in October. The respect got here with a scholarship from the American Filtration Society.

Global Environmental Science pupil Jacob Vasquez introduced analysis he has been conducting for his senior thesis with Godwin Severa, assistant researcher on the Hawaiʻi Natural Energy Institute within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. They developed and examined specialised supplies that seize atmospheric acidic gases that may go by and influence the effectivity of gasoline cells as they generate clear power. To enhance air purification expertise, Vasquez analyzed the capability for numerous supplies to soak up gases similar to carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

“The complete expertise developed my presentation and networking abilities and was a fully helpful expertise for me made doable by my division, the Hawaiʻi Pure Power Institute, and the UH Mānoa Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP),” stated Vasquez. “It was rewarding to share our efforts to enhance this promising clear power expertise.”

The convention was a world alternative for professionals and college students to current their state-of-the-art analysis in filtration. It included shows from 30 college students representing seven completely different nations over the course of two days. College students have been evaluated by a panel that included specialists within the filtration business.

“We now have distinctive college students at UH doing innovative supplies analysis that’s important for sustaining our future, together with the complete realization of fuel-cell based mostly applied sciences,” stated Severa. “It’s fulfilling to see our college students taking part in these efforts being rewarded. I encourage college students to hunt analysis experiences. It’s by no means too early to begin. We’re right here to help college students in attaining and exceeding their expectations.”

Vasquez’s journey and convention attendance was supported by UH Mānoa UROP Presentation funding.

–By Marcie Grabowski