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Four Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology students will
examine an agricultural system that could bring a year-round food supply
to over populated and nutrient deficient regions of the world through
the U.S.
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Mark Ellis |
Environmental Protection Agency’s People, Prosperity and
the Planet Student Design Competition.
The two-year, multidisciplinary project will have
students redesigning advanced and expensive plant growth technology to
create an economically feasible soil-less agricultural system for
persons in developed and developing regions around the world. The
sustainable hydroponic or aeroponic system could be utilized in indoor
and outdoor environments to increase yield, quality and growth rate of
various plants for consumer consumption or fuel production.
Mark Ellis, a senior biomedical engineering major from
Vincennes, is the student project leader. He plans to utilize the
project as part of his graduate-level studies in engineering management
at Rose-Hulman.
Other students involved in the project include Haldor
Buck, a junior mechanical engineering major from Terre Haute, Ind.;
Stephen Lewis, an engineering management graduate student from Canton,
Ohio; and Jessica Wittig, a sophomore optical engineering major from
Oakwood, Ill.
Patrick Ferro, assistant professor of mechanical
engineering, is the lead faculty mentor. Other faculty members helping
with the project will be Ella Ingram, assistant professor of applied
biology and biomedical engineering; Bill Kline, associate dean of
professional experiences and associate professor of engineering
management; and Michael Robinson, assistant professor of civil
engineering.
Serving as industry advisor for the project will be
Westin Rink of Controlled Pharming. He is an industry leader in
controlled farming hydroponic research.
Most current agricultural products originate from
centuries old soil-based growing methods. However, changing environment,
population growth and the growing biofuel market is reducing the total
surface area available for agricultural farming. Through hydroponic
farming, Controlled Pharming has been able to grow 337 bushels per acre
of genetically modified corn, a significant increase from the average
142 bushel per acre yield for field corn grown in the United States.
The EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet competition
focuses on supporting projects that help people, promote prosperity and
protecting the planet through innovative designs to address challenges
to sustainability in both the developed and developing world. The
competition has two phases. Initially, teams receive $10,000 to research
and develop their designs during the academic year. Then, next spring,
the team will make presentations about their projects at the National
Sustainable Design Expo in Washington, D.C. Up to $75,000 is provided to
the best student designs, providing an opportunity to further the
design, implement the project in the field, and move it to the
marketplace.
Rose-Hulman’s team has also received $1,000 from the
Department of Applied Biology and Biomedical Engineering to assist with
project development.
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