From left to right: Gokdenis Ersoy and Aiden Robinson of Haynie鈥檚 Heroes; Emma Lueders, Jennie Bull and Julianna Hernandez of Moody Management LLC; Garv Prabhaker and Sarah Schoenecker of University Diaries; and Xiangyi Han, Jingjing Wu and Minna You of Boundless Why (Photo by Amelia Beamish)
Bandages that monitor for diabetic foot ulcers and creating safe spaces for conversations about sexual wellness and self-love were just some of the winning innovations presented at the Whitman School Dean鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Innovation Challenge on April 18.
The challenge was a semester-long initiative coordinated by Erin Draper, director of experiential programs, with Jude Azai G鈥�24 and Aakanksha Maheshwari G鈥�25, that encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration as students honed their problem-solving and critical thinking skills around the 17 . While each team was required to have one Whitman student, participants came from across the University and included undergraduate, graduate, online and doctoral students. The students received no academic credit for participating but did so because of their passion for innovation and sustainability.
Fourteen graduate and 17 undergraduate teams submitted reports in March, which resulted in the selection of the 鈥淓lite 8鈥濃€搕he top four undergraduate and graduate submissions thought to have the greatest potential to make an impact on sustainable development goals across disciplines.
On April 18, teams displayed posters and posted 45-second YouTube videos about their projects, while judges Mark Coleman, adjunct faculty, Whitman School; Anna Chernobai, professor of finance in the Whitman School; Brian Macrae G鈥�01, managing partner, Synapse; Cary Mullin G鈥�08, vice president and general manager, broadband solutions, Belden Inc.; Megan Quill 鈥�05, vice president, finance, Smartest Energy; and Meg Tidd, CEO of VIP Structures; heard six-minute pitches from the 鈥淓lite 8鈥� vying for $25,000 in cash prizes to help further their projects.
鈥淲hitman is committed to creating leaders that understand the importance of sustainability for the future and where our students can use their innovative problem-solving skills to begin to address some of the grand challenges our society is facing,鈥� says Whitman Interim Dean Alex McKelvie. 鈥淏y providing real-world solutions to issues listed among the UN鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals, our students have shown how we can come together as a community to make the world a better place. I鈥檓 also delighted to support our students鈥� efforts in experiential learning, where they emphasize teamwork, communication and developing innovative solutions that help to create the next generation of responsible business leaders and entrepreneurs.鈥�
The following awards were presented at the event:
THE WHITMAN INNOVATION GRAND PRIZE:聽 $5,000
Moody Management LLC: The undergraduate team of Jennie Bull 鈥�24, Julianna Hernandez 鈥�24 and Emma Lueders 鈥�24 created a sex-positivity community media platform with a safe space for conversations about sexual wellness and self-love. It addresses the SDG of good health, gender and reducing inequalities.
DiabeTech: The team of Tosin Alabi G鈥�25, Manjusha Baddipudi G鈥�25 and Katayoon Faraji G鈥�25 took the grand prize with an innovative 鈥渟mart bandage鈥� to prevent diabetic foot ulcers. The product looks much like an ordinary bandage but is equipped with sensors and uses artificial intelligence analytics to monitor wounds, signaling patients and doctors of signs of infection to prevent gangrene or amputation. DiabeTech addressed the SDG of good health, technology and reducing inequalities.
From left to right: Interim Dean Alexander McKelvie, Tosin Alabi, Katayoon Faraji and Erin Draper, director of experiential programs (Photo by Amelia Beamish)
FIRST RUNNER UP: $3,000
Haynie鈥檚 Heroes: The undergraduate team of Gokdenis Ersoy 鈥�25, Aiden Robinson 鈥�26, William Akerson 鈥�24 and Nicholas Santangelo 鈥�25 developed an innovative platform for convenient, fast and efficient refurbishing of e-waste covering the SDG of quality education, reduction of inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, and responsible consumption and production.
Eco Guardians: The graduate team of Aman Kumar G鈥�25, Prashant Gautam 鈥�25, Kushwanth Sai Chandu Meesala G鈥�25 and Shivani Mangesh Sadare G鈥�24 created a program for 鈥渃limate literacy鈥� in the education system to promote learning, awareness and self-incentivization of preserving the planet to help teachers and students have better understanding of the consequences of waste on the environment. The SDG were quality education and climate action.
SECOND RUNNER UP: $2,000
University Diaries: The undergraduate team of Sarah Schoenecker 鈥�27 and Garv Prabhaker 鈥�27 created an interactive online platform designed to help high school students through the college application process, particularly first-generation and underserved students who may lack resources, as well as newly enrolled college students. The SDG were quality education and reducing inequalities.
Circular Sages: The graduate student team of Trang Nguyen G鈥�25, Akarsh Bhutani G鈥�24 and Monthip Sonethavong G鈥�24 created WasteWise, a digital platform for responsible consumption in the textile industry that identifies and manages resources through waste mapping and methods of eliminating excess materials in the marketplace. It addresses the SDG of responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water and life on land.
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: $1,000
Daredevils: The team of graduate students Natasha Lobo G鈥�25, Dishant Bhansali G鈥�25 and Bhavya Chheda G鈥�25 designed a portal for the management of e-waste that connects customers, service centers and recyclers. This award was selected by audience vote at the event.
SDG BLACKBOARD DISCUSSION AWARD: $1,000
Eco Guardians (see project description above) was selected based on weekly discussions throughout the competition related to SDG.
MOST IMPACTFUL INNOVATION AWARD: $1,000
Boundless Why: The undergraduate team of 聽Xiangyi Han 鈥�26, Jingjing Wu 鈥�25 and Minna You 鈥�25 were selected for this award for creation of a global online community that provides art resources and therapy for teenagers with autism.
BEST CREATIVE VIDEO AWARD: $1,000
KG鈥檚: The team of Ghonche Khalaj G鈥�26; Ali Kozehgaran G鈥�26; Adhadreza Safasinia G鈥�28; 聽Seyed Babak Seyd Asadollah 鈥�28 and Seyedehniloufar Mousavi 鈥�27 was selected for a video presentation on AgriNect, an app designed to find and tip farmers whose products consumers enjoy.
BEST COLLABORATIVE DIVERSE TEAM: $1,000
Circular Sages: (see project description above) was selected for best representation of students from different backgrounds and various schools, as well as the contribution by each team member.
For more information, visit the Dean鈥檚 SDG Innovation Challenge page on our聽.
