Another Honors College Forum has concluded this spring and with it came more than 50 extraordinary project ideas focused on social innovation. Students gathered for lectures and presentations with guest speakers, studied in small seminars, and worked in interdisciplinary project-based teams to create detailed plans for change-making products, services, or initiatives.
From among those projects, 13 were chosen to be presented in front of peers and a panel of judges. Innovations ranged from apps designed to combat social stereotyping and help people in underserved communities track their wellness and healthcare status to unique solutions for alternative food sources, urban gardens, gaming to tackle world problems, and sanitation for impoverished communities in India. Congratulations to the Honors College Spring Forum Pitch Competition winners—Oasis and NutriFilter—and to all of the teams who presented!
Winning Projects
Oasis
A green grocer truck to serve as a mobile, locally sourced, fresh-food seller and distributor for residents of underserved neighborhoods and urban food deserts.
Project created by Tiffany Lin, Yesha Parekh, Marissa Schwartz, and Karl Mulligan.
Professor: Louis Segura
NutriFilter
A water purification and vitamin delivery device utilizing carbon rendered from locally sourced coconut husks to address waterborne diseases and lack of basic nutrients.
Project created by Daniel Peltyszyn, Ansley Kunnath, Chiamaka Onuoha, Angela Maeng, and Justin Hall.
Professor: Joseanne Cudjoe.
First Runners-Up
Vitable
A special teddy bear engineered with transdermal delivery patches and electronic signaling to provide nutrients to children who embrace or play with the bear.
Project created by Michele Cristiano, Anmol Rattan, Charlotte Singer, and Amar Venugopal.
Professor: Mason Ameri.
MoveMe
A digital app and online platform built around real-life stories and experiences of diversity and prejudice to combat social stereotyping of individuals and groups.
Project created by Kusuma Ananth, Chris Davis, Anna Erickson, and Jason Rosenthal.
Professor: Mason Ameri.
Second Runners-Up
Mothers-to-Mothers
A mental health initiative organized around clinical and mentor networks dedicated to providing support for new mothers experiencing postpartum depression.
Project created by Jordan Jones, Monique Klitbo, Rachel Mfon, and Kathleen Parrish.
Professor: Dr. Jennifer Wilson.
E-Cycle
A recycling company dedicated to refurbishing and reselling used computer technology to create local markets for sustainable electronics and education about tech waste and pollution.
Project created by Bhargav Desai, Bennett Greenberg, Sharon Liu, Miranda McKiernan, and Roberta Shapiro.
Professor: Dr. Sunita Kramer.