UC Business and Engineering Students Win First Place in National Sustainability Competition
A group of students from UCs Carl H. Lindner College of Business and the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) took first place to earn the
for Sustainable Development.
Ronald Gillespie, BSIM 14; Ethan Jacobs, CEAS 13, MBA 14; and Qingshi Tu, CEAS 15; presented their Bearcat Clean Energy startup business idea called Effuelent in Miami on Sept. 9 to win $40,000, topping teams from University of California Berkeley and Florida International University to win.
Effuelent, a Waste to Energy company, extracts fat, oil and grease from wastewater to produce a low-cost biodiesel feedstock. Currently those substances are regarded as waste and end up in landfills. Through technology developed by UC CEAS professor Mingming Lu, Effuelent uses a waste grease extraction process produce a low-cost alternative (soy, rapeseed and corn oils) to expensive agricultural based biodiesel feedstock.
Judges say their idea offers value across the supply chain, not only acting as a remedy for wastewater treatment plants, but also contributing to the energy, security and environmental sustainability of the United States.
Gillespie says the team plans to use the award to continue developing our technology, buy promotional materials for our startup and cover expenses for traveling to conferences and professional networking events.
The competition, now in its second year, is open to students nationwide. To date, nearly 600 students from 204 academic institutions have participated.
The Odebrecht Organization was created in 1944. The Odebrecht Award for Sustainable Development program was created in 2008 in Brazil, and has since expanded to 10 countries.
A group of students from UCs Carl H. Lindner College of Business and the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) took first place to earn the 2013 Odebrecht Award for Sustainable Development.
Ronald Gillespie, BSIM 14; Ethan Jacobs, CEAS 13, MBA 14; and Qingshi Tu, CEAS 15; presented their Bearcat Clean Energy startup business idea called Effuelent in Miami, Florida, on September 9, 2013 to win $40,000, topping teams from University of California Berkeley and Florida International University (FIU) to win.
Effuelent, a Waste to Energy company, extracts fat, oil and grease from wastewater to produce a low-cost biodiesel feedstock. Currently those substances are regarded as waste and end up in landfills. Through technology developed by UC CEAS Professor Mingming Lu, Effuelent uses a waste grease extraction process produce a low-cost alternative (soy, rapeseed and corn oils) to expensive agricultural based biodiesel feedstock.
Judges say their idea offers value across the supply chain, not only acting as a remedy for wastewater treatment plants, but also contributing to the energy, security and environmental sustainability of the United States.
Gillespie says the team plans to use the award to continue developing our technology, buy promotional materials for our startup and cover expenses for traveling to conferences and professional networking events.
The competition, now in its second year, is open to students nationwide. To date, nearly 600 students from 204 academic institutions have participated.
The Odebrecht Organization, established in Brazil in 2008, has expanded to several countries including the U.S. and promotes innovative engineering practices and chemical solutions that can be implemented in real-world ventures.
- See more at: http://business.uc.edu/news/disciplines/industrial-management/2013/sep/odebrecht-award.html#sthash.KEB6F3UL.dpufRelated Stories
6 tips for adapting to change as an entrepreneur
October 10, 2024
Change is a constant force in the business world, so adaptability is a key ingredient of startup success. We’ll offer six tips for adapting to change as an entrepreneur.
Informational showcase offers closer look at UC graduate...
Event: October 22, 2024 10:00 AM
Bearcats Beyond Bachelors - A Graduate Program Showcase is offering a closer look at more than 394 graduate degrees, certificates and professional programs at the University of Cincinnati. The event will be held Tuesday, Oct. 22, in TUC Great Hall from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Forbes Under 30 listers coach UC student entrepreneurs at 1819
October 8, 2024
Young entrepreneurs at the University of Cincinnati gathered at the 1819 Innovation Hub to gain specialized tips for success from global Forbes Under 30 listers.