Five, first-year dual degree engineering students placed second in a high-level science, technology, engineering, math, and entrepreneurial activity to “imagineer” innovative practical uses and business models for NASA technology in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Nicolette Barriffee, electrical engineering, Clark Atlanta University; and Morehouse College students Carter Bowdoin, mechanical engineering; Stephen Seymour, mechanical engineering; Zelalem Tenaw, computer science; and Leoul Tilahun, computer engineering, along with 20 students from historically Black colleges and universities, minority serving institutions, and institutions of higher learning, took on the task to take existing NASA-patented technologies to the marketplace in the Institute for Local Innovations T.I.M.E. Challenge.
The students second-place winning for their Riverside Water Purification landed them $750 plus a $250 book stipend for each student.
NASA is challenged with hundreds of patented technologies ready to be taken to the marketplace, and too few entrepreneurs ready to move them.
New Orleans-based ILI Inc., in collaboration with Atlanta-based Liquid Studios design firm, is brings a High Impact Practice to HBCUs across the country by way of the ILI Technology Implementation Market Engine Challenge. This innovative student engagement program invites individual students, teams of HBCU students, as well as students from other colleges and university led by HBCU students to participate in the program.
In addition to the winnings, participating students receive mentoring from industry experts, via the Liquid Studios network (www.liquidstudios360.com) and others, to increase student knowledge, skills, and career interests in economic sectors aligned with NASA-patented technology identified by ILI.
Check out the competition in pictures.
