Introducing the 2024-25 Sustainability Innovation Seed Grant Award Winners
The Sustainability Innovation Seed Grants support student-driven sustainability interventions with funding and resources offered by BU Sustainability and Innovate@BU. Students are empowered to kick-start a project that tackles the leading sustainability challenges facing BU and beyond. This year, there are thirteen awardees ranging from fashion to repurposing gently used laboratory equipment to robots.
Awardees:
BU Closet is tackling the environmental impact of textile waste and the fast fashion industry’s unsustainable practices. By organizing free clothing swaps, BU Closet provides students with access to affordable, sustainable clothing options, reducing overconsumption and waste. This initiative not only extends the life cycle of clothing but also fosters a community of conscious consumers. Through collaborations with campus organizations, BU Closet promotes a circular economy model, serving as a scalable solution for other universities. The project is developing a framework called Campus Closet to expand its impact beyond Boston University, aiming to create a network of sustainable fashion communities across campuses.
BU Closet is led by Iffany Zou (CAS ’25)
Introducing BUBubbles!, an initiative aimed at reducing the environmental impact of laundry in college dorms. With over 830 machines on campus and nearly 15,000 students using them weekly, laundry at BU consumes between 10.1 to 27 million gallons of water annually. BUBubbles! addresses this by offering students one free weekly washing and drying cycle, along with educational resources on sustainable laundry practices. The program encourages the use of drying racks and eco-friendly detergent sheets to minimize energy waste. By promoting efficient laundry habits, BUBubbles! not only helps students save money but also reduces the university’s water and energy consumption.
BUBubbles! is led by Samantha Kosinski (CAS ’28)
BuzzBites is addressing the environmental challenges posed by conventional protein sources. By offering nutritious, affordable meals made with sustainable insect protein, BuzzBites aims to reduce the ecological footprint of food production. Their snacks provide a high-quality protein alternative, promoting eco-friendly dietary shifts and reducing reliance on resource-heavy livestock. BuzzBites strives to expand beyond its initial base, reaching more university campuses and retail locations to encourage widespread adoption of sustainable eating habits.
BuzzBites is led by Joonho Kim (CAS ’27)
CarbNo Microgrid Emiliano Valencia-Donohue (ENG ’25) is aimed at enhancing grid resilience and reliability during extreme weather events that often lead to power outages. The project focuses on developing a reversible electrolyzer powered by renewable energy sources like wind and solar. This system would efficiently store hydrogen, which can be converted back into electricity when needed, providing a sustainable and reliable energy supply. Unlike traditional batteries, hydrogen offers a more efficient long-term storage solution, making it ideal for infrequent but critical energy demands.
CarbNo Microgrid is led by Emiliano Valencia-Donohue (ENG ’25)
EcoLabs: Energy-Efficient Lab Monitoring and Optimization System is aimed at reducing energy consumption and emissions in research labs at Boston University (BU). Research labs are notorious for their high energy usage due to continuous equipment operation, often leading to environmental and financial burdens. EcoLabs addresses this issue by employing AI-powered IoT sensors to monitor and optimize energy usage in real-time. The system would adjust equipment operation based on actual need and occupancy, significantly cutting down unnecessary energy use and emissions. EcoLabs is designed to tackle the widespread problem of energy inefficiency in research labs, which is prevalent in universities, research institutions, and biotech or pharmaceutical companies.
EcoLabs is led by Tanisha Rungta (ENG ’26)
EmpowerHer: Sustainable Menstrual Care Initiative is a project dedicated to raising awareness about the intersection of sustainability and health, focusing on the challenges faced by girls in Nepal due to menstruation-related issues. In Nepal, over 30% of girls miss school or drop out due to the lack of menstrual health education and access to affordable, sustainable period products. This initiative highlights the critical need for sustainable solutions in rural areas like the Terai, where menstrual products are scarce and costly. By uniting BU’s sustainability efforts with Period at BU’s mission, the project aims to educate both BU students and primary school girls in Nepal about period health and sustainable alternatives. Collaborating with Nepali OBGYN Dr. Shreyashi Aryal, the initiative seeks to empower girls to stay in school and manage their periods confidently, while also reducing the environmental impact of single-use period products.
EmPowerHer is led by Kusum Aryal (SAR’26)
The BU Summer Term Pre-College Programs, hosted by Metropolitan College, welcomes over 1,300 high school students from around the globe each summer. These students often purchase items like sheet sets and towels, which frequently end up discarded when they leave after 1 to 6 weeks. Due to non-standard move-out times, textile recycling options are limited during the summer. To address this, Linen Rentals for Pre-College Programs is partnering with a local linen rental company to offer linen packets to residential participants at $19 per week. These packets include a sheet set, towel set, and blanket, promoting sustainability and reducing waste.
Linen Rentals for Pre-College Programs is led by London Judge (Wheelock’28)
The MiniBots – Climate Engagement project is taking on the challenge of insufficient real-time data for monitoring cyanobacteria blooms in the Charles River. These blooms, caused by blue-green algae, pose significant health risks to humans, pets, and wildlife due to toxin release. The project involves attaching pollution sensors to sailing buoys to continuously collect and report water quality data, focusing on cyanobacteria presence. This approach aims to provide crucial insights for proactive measures, enhancing safety and ecological conditions.
The MiniBots is led by Noah Robitshek (ENG ’25), with Benji Gilbert, Ella Hedman, Sam Kraft, and Eliott Dinfotan
Pocket Park is aimed at transforming Boston University’s car-centric campus into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly environment. Addressing the issues of isolation and lack of green spaces, Pocket Park wants to repurpose parking spaces into lively gathering areas adorned with asphalt art and interactive activities like pickleball and cornhole. Located near key student areas, Pocket Park strives to offer a low-cost, modular solution to foster spontaneous, in-person interactions, in order to make the campus more inviting and sustainable.
Pocket Park is led by Arin Gokdemir (CAS ’25)
Introducing Pollux, a self-operating countertop cleaning robot designed to tackle the environmental and health challenges posed by traditional cleaning solutions. Unlike conventional products that contribute to air and water pollution and pose health risks such as reproductive damage, allergic reactions, and increased cancer risk, Pollux offers a chemical-free alternative. Utilizing UV light for disinfection, Pollux effectively sanitizes surfaces without harming the environment or human health. Suitable for a variety of surfaces, from kitchen countertops to desks, Pollux is ideal for homeowners and custodial workers seeking a safer, greener cleaning solution.
Pollux is led by Jennefer Remigius (QST ’25)
ReServe is addressing the environmental impact of tennis string waste by repurposing discarded strings into sustainable fabric. With an estimated 1.54 billion meters of tennis string thrown away annually in the U.S., these synthetic materials contribute significantly to landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions. ReServe’s approach involves placing collection boxes at tennis centers nationwide, where used strings are gathered, cleaned, and transformed into eco-friendly textiles. This initiative is not only meant to reduce landfill waste and microplastic pollution but also supports sustainable textile production. ReServe has already partnered with tennis centers in Maryland, California, Massachusetts, New York, and China, and aims to expand globally, offering a scalable solution to reduce tennis string waste worldwide.
ReServe is led by Jakob Esterowitz (ENG ’27)
The Chemistry Closet is addressing the environmental impact of lab materials in university science courses. Each year, thousands of students require lab coats and goggles, which often end up discarded or unused, contributing to significant waste and environmental strain. This initiative at Boston University promotes sustainability by collecting and redistributing gently used lab materials each semester. By professionally cleaning and offering these items free of charge to students, The Chemistry Closet strives to not only reduce waste but also alleviate financial burdens for students pursuing STEM degrees.
The Chemistry Closet is led by Jennavieve Zilic (CAS ’25)
UniRide is aiming to change college travel by addressing the high costs and logistical challenges students face when heading home. This ride-matching app offers a convenient, affordable, and eco-friendly solution for students, especially those with limited public transit options. With a user-friendly swiping interface, students can easily match with drivers traveling to similar destinations, ensuring more space for personal belongings than traditional public transport. The app prioritizes privacy with a 4-mile buffer and promotes carpooling to reduce carbon emissions.
UniRide is led by Lydia Palmer (CAS ’27)