Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) is an engineering project team committed to forging innovative, lasting solutions for local and global sustainability challenges. Since its establishment in 2002 at Cornell, ESW has expanded to become an international, non-profit network with over 50 college, university, and city chapters with more than 4,000 student, faculty, and professional members. ESW Cornell is comprised of three major teams:
Biofuels & Environmental Design, Renewable Energy Solutions, and Carbon Neutrality.
This team is designing a prototype of a collapsible wind turbine, with retractable blades that can be stored underground. This project was inspired by a common criticism of wind energy: the perception that turbines can ruin an otherwise scenic landscape. The team has 3D printed parts, physical models, and electronics to work towards this goal.
The Business and Outreach team is working with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, NY to design middle school curriculum on climate change and various renewable energies. To support this, they are also redesigning a "PowerHouse," which is a tiny home on a trailer that acts as a portable sustainability museum.
This team is building a solar powered hydroponic system. They are also working with Dr. Sunghwan Jung to test innovations to current hydroponic growing techniques using a vertical system. This project was inspired by the high cost of current hydroponic systems as well as growing food inequality both within Ithaca and around the world.
The Biofuels Bioenergy Implementation team is working on a Rare Earth Element Techno-Economic Analysis, which is to prepare the process of microbial-based rare earth extraction for industry. This includes modeling the process economics and optimizing the process flow design. For this project, the team is working with Dr. Buz Barstow's lab in BEE.
Check out the full ESW-Global project database here.
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