Page 13 - CEMS Winter 2022 Newsletter

CEMS NEWS
Crucible Prize continued from page 8
“Lower-end vodka contains relatively high levels of certain carbonyl compounds, such as formaldehyde
and acetaldehyde, that contribute to its harsh taste
and smell. Higher-end vodka has lower levels of these compounds, but can be less practical to purchase due to cost. Our product seeks to solve this dilemma for young professionals who are looking to leave their college ways behind, but are still limited by their budgets. Inspired by the urban legend that passing cheap vodka through a water filter makes it taste better (it doesn’t), we use selective adsorbent technology to remove these carbonyl compounds. In doing so, we upgrade cheap vodka into an enjoyable liquor that actually belongs outside of college parties.”
In second place, CEMS graduate students Matthew Hausladen and Saurabh Usgaonkar and postdoctoral scholar Jeff Self pitched “VOXELAT3D: Multi-Material 3D Printers.”
CEMS graduate students Isaac Mastalski and Nathan Sidhu placed third for their pitch, “Building a Circular Economy: Applied Pyrolysis for Plastic Recycling,” which applies advanced pyrolytic techniques to plastic waste, enabling large-scale recycling and a plastic circular economy.
The sky is the limit for these top three teams, and perhaps, one day, their products will be available to consumers.
Life’s Wisdoms continued from page 9
of my work ethic. For many of us, the ideals of family and community feed a strong drive to succeed; when I see any Hispanic or Latino flourishing, I work harder. So, the best way to help the Hispanic community grow within STEM
is to help those who have made it into these careers
go far in their fields. Provide them with opportunities to help them become the role models they need to be, and the strong values we already have will do the rest of the work.”
Lucca can be contacted at figar009@umn.edu. Jim Mishek can be contacted at jimmishek@yahoo.com if you are interested in purchasing his book.
CEMS first-year graduate students Katherine Vaidya (left) and Sophie Brauer won first place in the Crucible Prize competition.
1. Sylvia Acevedo, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, 2020, https://www.studentresearchfoundation.org/wp-content/ uploads/2020/04/Hispanics_STEM_Report_Final-1.pdf
2. Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 2021, https://www.nbcnews. com/news/latino/latinos-account-half-countrys-population- growth-rcna1667
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