5/7/2010
Engineering at Illinois was well represented—taking first, second, and third place honors in regional poster presentations—at the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges for the 21st Century Chicago Summit 2010.
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Engineering at Illinois was well represented—taking first, second, and third place honors in regional poster presentations—at the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges for the 21st Century Chicago Summit 2010.
The conference was held on April 21-22, and hosted engineering, government, non-profit and business leaders from all over the world. Leaders convened to address engineering, science and policy advances needed to address four key “grand challenges” facing the United States and the world: 1. Clean Water; 2. Carbon, Energy and Climate; 3. Urban Sustainability; and 4. Global Health.
“The Grand Challenges are a call to action,” said Dr. Alan Schriesheim, president, Chicago Council on Science and Technology; director emeritus, Argonne National Laboratory. “We want to engage the public to understand the importance of technology, policy, and science to maintain and enhance our standard of living.” Among the many notables to attend the Summit will be U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology Dr. John P. Holdren and the Haitian Ministry of Health’s Marie Denise Milord.
Students from the College of Engineering at Illinois participated in a regional poster presentation, placing first, second and third in the first-ever competition.
1st Place - The Guatemala Water Project: Removal of Waterborne Viruses Using Iron-Amended Biosand Filters
Ian M. Bradley, Sheila Markazi, Peter Maraccini, Kimberly Parker and Thanh Nguyen.
First place poster winners from each of the regional competition sites are invited to submit their concepts for entry at the national competition held at the National Grand Challenge Summit in Los Angeles, CA in fall 2010. In the spirit of promoting entrepreneurship, competitors on the national level will be asked to expand upon their poster presented at the regional meeting by preparing and presenting a marketing and business plan for their proposed technology, process or product.
2nd Place - The Ntisaw Village Water Partnership: Harnessing the Power of Nature to Provide a Sustainable Water Supply
Kenneth Long and Andrew Rehn.
3rd Place (four-way tie) - Low Temperature Conversion of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide for Fuel Production
Brian A. Rosen
In 2000, NAE released the results of a survey identifying the 20 most important engineering achievements of the 20th century. The list included the electrification of homes and businesses, clean water, refrigeration and air conditioning, as well as advances in communications, electronics, materials, medicine and transportation that have changed the way we live. Looking forward, NAE recently commissioned a committee of engineers, scientists and futurists to solicit ideas related to the “Grand Challenges” facing the global society in the 21st century.
The Chicago Summit is one of five NAE Grand Challenge summits taking place across the country this spring to explore the 14 Grand Challenges identified. It was hosted by the Illinois Institute of Technology and the Chicago Council on Science and Technology in partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago.
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Writer: Susan Zukosky, College of Engineering, 217/244-1907.
If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, 217/244-7716, editor.