‘Magna Mater’ is the Greek team from the Technical University of Crete, the National Technical University of Athens, and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, that has been named as the third prize winner in the student category of a global design challenge focused on climate change solutions.
Over 100 teams entered the 2017 Biomimicry Global Design Challenge, answering the call to apply biomimicry, or nature-inspired design, to develop solutions to reverse or adapt to climate change. In the open category, winning teams have been chosen to receive a cash prize and an invitation to enter the 2017-18 Biomimicry Accelerator, which culminates in the $100,000 Ray C. Anderson Foundation Ray of Hope Prize™.
In the student category, the third place team from Greece emulated coral calcification to create a design that sequesters carbon dioxide from the sea. This team created CO 2 EUS (CO 2 Efficient Uptake System), a device that sequesters excess carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) seawater into calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ). This design aims to enhance the ocean’s capacity to absorb and process CO 2, ultimately contributing to the re-stabilization of the carbon cycle. The team will receive a $750 cash prize.
Team members:
Nikolaos Kontonikolis (Technical University of Crete | School of Electrical & Computer Engineering )
Theodoros Bechlivanis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki | School of Chemical Engineering)
Nelli Kanata, Xanthi – Lida Katopodi & Natalia Bartzoka (National Technical University of Athens | School of Chemical Engineering)
A full list of the winners can be found here.
The Biomimicry Institute ’s Biomimicry Global Design Challenge invites students and professionals to look to our plane t’s living systems to tackle climate-related issues like energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, food systems, transportation, water management, coastal communities, and fossil fuel usage. The goals are to show how biomimicry - one of Fortune ’s five business “ Trends to ride in 2017 ” - can provide viable solutions to the current climate crisis and to bring much-needed solutions to market quickly. Each year, the Biomimicry Accelerator culminates in the $100,000 Ray of Hope Prize to the team with the most viable biomimetic solution, including a functioning prototype, a tested business model, and customer validation.
Please read the Press Release from the Biomimicry Institute & the Ray C. Anderson Foundation
About the Biomimicry Institute
The Biomimicry Institute is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that empowers people to seek nature-inspired solutions for a healthy planet.
http://www.biomimicry.org
About Ray C. Anderson Foundation
The Ray C. Anderson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that seeks to promote a sustainable society by supporting and funding educational and project-based initiatives that advance knowledge and innovation in sustainability.
http://www.raycandersonfoundation.org/rayofhopeprize
