Achievement

In our IGERT entrepreneurship class, two IGERT trainees (Micah Casteel and Kim Christman) developed a profitable business idea that was beneficial to the general community. They researched and planned the initial stages of a start-up company specializing in energy recycling and chose to address the problem of wasted energy resources. With their varied expertise they developed a plan to convert energy-rich waste streams into viable power for local consumers and the general grid. Their plan included a waste disposal section (a drop in replacement for many commercial waste disposal applications) and an innovative conversion system that utilized off-the-shelf technology to convert waste streams into recycled forms of energy for use in heating, vehicle fuel, and compost. One of the chief reasons the project was successful was that the diversity of experience on the team allowed team mates to complement each other's strengths, and different creative bases continually provided fresh ideas.