Tasks provide college students with opportunities to engage with engineering professionals and mentors, local organizations, and cutting-edge technology to address community-based issues and concerns.
The subsequent two environmentally focused initiatives exemplify the value of collaborative effort and hands-on engagement with project stakeholders. Rural communities in Colombia are employing innovative biodigesters to efficiently manage waste and promote sustainable development. Turkish olive producers benefit from the opposite, which provides a timely warning system to anticipate and mitigate potential threats affecting their crops.
In a tranquil Colombian town, there’s no room for procrastination.
Effective waste management is crucial for maintaining desirable living conditions in a community. In rural La Vega, Colombia, the absence of an effective waste management system has devastating consequences, resulting in contaminated soil and water, a critical concern given that the local economy heavily relies on agriculture?
Students were brought together to develop a comprehensive solution.
, a Ph.D. A scholar based in Bogotá tackled this challenge by designing and developing a low-cost anaerobic digester, which leveraged an innovative instrumentation system to facilitate the breakdown of microorganisms into biodegradable materials. The anaerobic digestion process effectively minimizes the volume of residual waste, simultaneously yielding a valuable byproduct – biogas – that can be harnessed to power electric generators.
“Anaerobic digestion is a natural process that efficiently converts organic matter into two valuable products: biogas and nutrient-rich soil amendments, collectively known as digestate,” Beltrán explains. As a byproduct of our digester’s operation, digestate emerges naturally, comprising organic matter that, although unable to be converted into biogas, can be harnessed as a valuable soil amendment for our farmers’ crops, much like coffee grounds.
“While seemingly straightforward, the approach is actually impacted by multiple factors.” The assistance we’ve gained from EPICS in IEEE has been instrumental, enabling us to monitor crucial variables like pH levels, reactor temperatures, and biogas composition (specifically methane and hydrogen sulfide) with precision. The system enables informed choices that enhance the security, quality, and efficiency of the process, ultimately benefiting the community.
The venture was a collaborative initiative undertaken by Universidad del Rosario college students in partnership with a team of engineering students under the guidance of Professor Carlos Felipe Vergara, and local community members, aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents by revitalizing their neighborhood.
As I observed with great enthusiasm, individuals from diverse academic backgrounds – encompassing engineering, electronics, and computer science – successfully collaborated and learned together on a project poised to yield a tangible positive impact in the community.
Beltrán worked meticulously alongside a team of eight undergraduate students and three esteemed instructors: Maria Fernanda Gómez, Andrés Pérez Gordillo, the instrumentation group’s chief, and , along with IEEE Graduate Student Member, the instrumentation group’s coordinator.
In the experimental station located approximately 53 kilometers northwest of Bogotá, in the city of La Vega, the workforce successfully installed and commissioned its anaerobic digester system.
“This innovative digester holds great promise for the residents of La Vega, enabling them to convert their residual biomass into a valuable resource that can significantly improve the overall quality of life and stimulate local economic growth.” Rapidly, she suggests expanding the system to incorporate advanced sensors that continuously track biogas production and microbial digestion processes.
As college students and professionals from diverse disciplines – including engineering, electronics, and computer science – come together on a project with the potential to positively impact their community, it’s been an extraordinary experience for our workforce members and college students. Enabling us to apply our in-class experience to real-life scenarios. “The funding provided by EPICS in IEEE has played a crucial role in enabling us to design, develop, and deploy our system.”
By fostering a circular economy, this initiative aims to reduce waste by reusing resources, ultimately enhancing the local community’s ecological footprint and self-reliance.
Defending olive groves in Türkiye
Turkey is a leading global producer of olives, but its industry faces significant challenges due to climate-related disasters such as unprecedented floods, droughts, and other adverse natural phenomena stemming from climate change. To support Western farmers in monitoring the health of their olive trees, researchers have developed an early warning system capable of detecting anomalies such as unusual growth patterns.
“Production of nearly zero olives has occurred in the past year using traditional methods, due to unfavorable weather conditions and unpredictable climate patterns,” states Maria Rodriguez, project leader of the sustainability initiative.
According to Professor Akgül, a senior IEEE member and expert in electronics and communication engineering at the university, “Our innovative system empowers farmers with data-driven insights from each individual tree, enabling proactive measures to boost crop yields.”
“We’re developing AI-powered solutions to identify subtle changes in olive tree health and fruit development, empowering farmers and landowners to proactively prevent low or lost yields by taking timely and informed decisions.” A renowned academic expert on college campuses and a distinguished IEEE graduate scholar member.
Equipped with cutting-edge 360-degree optical and thermal cameras, the team gathers comprehensive data sets comprising optical, thermal, and hyperspectral imaging insights through aerial methods. The vast repository of knowledge is seamlessly integrated into a cloud-based, open-source database system.
Akgül spearheads the venture, mentoring the team in advanced skills encompassing sign and image processing, as well as data collection methodologies. Engaging in collaborative dialogue with local community members has been instrumental in driving the venture’s prosperity.
Farmers in the village have collaborated with us to ensure our drone operations are targeted effectively. “Their participation has played a crucial role in helping us optimize our process for enhanced efficiency.”
For students in college, classroom learning is straightforward, culminating in a final exam. Through our innovative EPICS project, college students engage in meaningful, experiential learning by working closely with farmers, witnessing firsthand the tangible results of their collaborative endeavors.
Looking ahead, enthusiasm is building among employees as plans progress to expand the business by incorporating a variety of fruits beyond olives. The team plans to apply for a travel grant from IEEE, aiming to showcase their research at a conference.
“We’re deeply thankful to EPICS in IEEE for this incredible opportunity,” Girgin states. “Our venture’s success and several key skills we acquired would not have been possible without the vital funding we secured.”
A purpose-driven partnership
The companies sponsored all the proactive environmental projects.
According to IEEE SA’s senior supervisor of product development and market engagement, “Technical tasks are crucial for driving innovation and ensuring seamless integration across diverse industries.” “These tasks not only meet but exceed our technical specifications, driving technological advancements that foster global cooperation and elevate the quality of life for communities worldwide.”
To learn more about our system or participate in engaging service-learning projects, visit us at.
From Your Website Articles
Associated Articles Across the Net
