Media Advisory/Photo Opportunity: Colorado State University Engineering Students to Compete in 12-Hour 1Mpact Challenge on August 19

Note to Reporters: Teams are likely to do the most work on their entries between 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Aug. 19.

What/when:

Students in the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory, Colorado State University Department of Mechanical Engineering, will participate in a 12-hour competition to generate project ideas, that, if commercialized at scale, will positively impact the lives of more than one million people. The 1Mpact Challenge will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at the laboratory, 430 N. College Ave., Fort Collins.

Details:

The Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory has developed solutions to reduce emissions from large industrial engines, supported dozens of companies with new engine technology, made important contributions to basic combustion science, worked to define architectures for the future electric grid, and brought clean energy solutions to the developing world. The lab has pioneered the use of undergraduate students in their research programs, employed hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students from across the university in research and helped to develop a new generation of energy leaders.

Envirofit International and Solix Biofuels are laboratory spin-off companies that have become recognized industry leaders. The 1Mpact Challenge is designed as an expression of the lab’s mission: to create innovative energy solutions and entrepreneurial models that benefit the human condition and achieve global impact.

The 1Mpact Challenge will consist of five teams of about seven people each. Participants – faculty, staff and students – are randomly assigned to teams, so some teams may be all students or all faculty members. Teams will leverage laboratory expertise in the areas of engines and engine controls, energy systems, energy for development, smart grid and advanced biofuels.

Teams may leave campus to collect materials for their entry, but all entries are due at 6 p.m.

Sponsors include Cenergy (the commercialization vehicle for clean energy research at Colorado State), LightSource Creative Communications, Instant Imprints Fort Collins, Poudre Valley Hospital, Jimmy John’s, Taste of Philly, HuHot Mongolian Grill, Noodles & Co., Mad Greens, Airgas and ServiceMaster.

Students and staffers will Tweet and blog about the experience throughout the day at eecl.colostate.edu/1mpact or @EnginesLab or #1Mpact. For more information, contact Mac McGoldrick at (970) 217-2095.

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