Senior Studio Project

Edwin J, Robert W, Kevin R, Ryan W, Ryan B,

and Clarissa S.

Step 1: Identifying the Challenge

Something about energy consumption?
Renewable energy?
Full of teenage optimism we presented this to
Mr.Waxman...
Original Challenge The community is not efficiently
using renewable energy. Sustainable technologies
that could make renewable energy, even if they exist
are not being implemented.

Step 1: Identifying the Challenge

Something about energy consumption?
Renewable energy?
Full of teenage optimism we presented this to
Mr.Waxman...
Original Challenge The community is not efficiently
using renewable energy. Sustainable technologies
that could make renewable energy, even if they exist
are not being implemented.

Research
Clarissa Smith

Edwin Jose

Kevin Roy

Ryan Borneman

Biomass

Tidal Energy

Fuel Cells

Hydroelectricity

Nuclear

Biofuels

Solar

Geothermal

Local intervention: impacting just a piece of global

energy problem
Only biofuels seemed feasible for the high school
campus

Research

(Photo Credit polytechnic University of Puerto Rico)

Challenge and Root Cause

Biodiesel is being produced through
manufacturing methods that are inefficient
and not carbon neutral.
There is a lack of education on producing
biomass to process biodiesel sustainably.

Direct Drivers

Root Causes

Root Cause
There is a lack of education on producing
biomass to process biodiesel sustainably.

Things to consider about Biofuels

Usage of...
o resources: Fuel or Food
o environment: worth of humans VS other species
Greenwashing
Environmental pollution from production

Stakeholders
Old

20 community stakeholders
Adrian Cavada
Heliae
AZCati
Professor Gary C.
Bergstrom
Patricia Newman
Jim Ollhoff
Community and school
survey

Current, Actual, Real, Physical

AzCati (trip with iGem)

Madeline Tyson (School of
Sustainability students. Cofounders/ partners of
SCORE Algae, a biocrude
startup)
Bioscience interior
community
AZ Science Center
Engineers

Stakeholders Key Ideas

80% of the people we interviewed said there
is not much general knowledge about
biodiesel
Biodiesel will act as a transition away from
fossil fuels
Technology is expensive
Fossil fuels are still cheaper than algae fuel

Vision Board

Without the problem, we envision

Our community is educated and engaged in an open
source sustainable method of biofuel production that
produces local fuel, thus helping in the global
transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
World residents have solved the energy crisis through
easier accessibility and simplicity in design.

Previous Implementations
OMEGA: NASA projectproduce algae in wastewater tubes. In
ocean: frees land agriculture, cleans waste water, reduces CO2.
Heliae: Volar Commercial Production Platform: Glass tubing:
ASU interventionimprove algae output & reduce costs.
Desert Sweet Biofuels: Make Algae Carbon Modification Centers
(CMCs) nationwidecapture agriculture & factory waste.
azcati: ASUcreate algae fuel & products
Verde Biofuel: Field 2 Fueleducational mobile biodiesel
processing unit

Master Criterion
Must
o Assist in resolving unsustainable biodiesel
manufacturing methods
o Agree with vision
o Be educational
o Able to implement in community

Criteria

costeffectivene
ss

Easy
Implement
ation

Impactful on
Long-Term
Vision

Educational value +
impact on stakeholders

Timeliness
(build+results)

Impact on transition
from Fossil Fuels

Agreeance with
Stakeholder Visions

Criteria
Weight

10

10

10

Total Score=(alignment
score x criteria weight)

Algae
reactor
project

349

book on
biodiesel and
biodiesel
processing

277

YouTube
Channel

10

298

Synthetic
Biology

289

Aquaponics
System

258

Workshops
and
presentation
s

236

Documentary
on Biodiesel

243

Our Solution
Implementation:
o Build an Algae Photo-Bioreactor that can used as
an educational tool on campus and at Arizona
Science Center
o Use the building of this project to gain community
interest within this issue and it can later be used to
teach the community about biofuels

What is an Algae Bioreactor?

A way to grow algae
The oil from the algae is extracted
The oil is used as the biomass material to
produce biodiesel or other Algae based items.

What is Algae?

(Photo Credit polytechnic University of Puerto Rico)

Why use Algae?

Algae oil and fuel yield much
higher than other crops
Does not compete with food
crops
Growing location is versatile
Potential bioremediation
can absorb CO2
can treat sewage and
wastewater
(Photo Credit polytechnic University of Puerto Rico)

Which algae are we using?

(Photo Credit polytechnic University of Puerto Rico)

Algae growth process

(Photo Credit polytechnic University of Puerto Rico)

Biomass to Biodiesel Process

(Photo Credit polytechnic University of Puerto Rico)

Algae and our environment

(Photo Credit polytechnic University of Puerto Rico)

Humble Beginnings

Special Thanks

Measureable
1. How many people interacted with the interactive
display program that goes along with the prototype at
the Arizona Science Center?
2. Number of people who are interested enough to visit
group website
3. Mini-questionnaire at the end of presentation to
understand how much the audience understood about
the project.

Sustainability
Improve data on Algae based biodiesel
Produce local fuel
Intervention focuses on easy accessibility and simplicity
in design
Gain model through this process
Pass on the project with goal of improving the design
and building more of these units
iGem

Notable Accomplishments
2 New group members
Donated WordPress website (qr
code... shout out to Lawn Gnome
Business cards... shout out to
Clarissa
New mentor, Madelyn Mady
Tyson, an ASU School of
Sustainability, Ph.D. Student...
shout out to Matt Cohen
Applied for W.M. Grace Grant
Planned visit to AZCati with iGem

Finished Algae Bioreactor

working with Arizona Science
Center
Confirmed and tested product
and started cultivation
Set up educational presentations
at Arizona Science Center
Also Presenting at IEEE
International Microwave
Symposium

Challenges

Clarissa and Kevin are much too picky about... everything

Defining education (Matt Cohen, Robert, Mr. Waxman)
Individual pieces taking too long... interest is lost
Lack of pressure for deadlines to be met... not organized
enough
Defining community (Matt Cohen, Mr. Waxman)
Ryan B was always sleepy and malnourished (from taking
over the world)
Senioritis... it is almost over :D

Next Steps

Meeting with future group members and iGem

Creation of Bioreactor Maintenance plan
Interactive display or presentation
Local P.R. and outreach

Website

Thank You!

Questions?
Comments?
concerns?