Events

Wege Prize challenges teams of five to design a product, service, or business model that can function within and help create a paradigm shift towards a circular economic model, an economic model in which resources and capital are regenerative. Teams were again required to represent at least two different academic institutions and at least three different academic disciplines. This year's challenge was answered by 15 teams, representing 19 different colleges/universities and a staggering 52 different academic disciplines. These students converged their unique talents in a collaborative pursuit of a new and revolutionary kind of problem solving, developing innovative ideas and solutions that are truly capable of moving the needle.

Now, only our finalist teams remain standing. Join us as we welcome them to Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) stage, where they'll present and defend their solutions in full to our judging panel of industry-leading movers and shakers and compete for $30,000 in total cash prizes.

This event is free and open to the public. RSVP required.
Event Schedule
 9:30am                              doors open
10:00am – 12:00pm             finalist presentations
12:00pm – 2:00pm               judges’ deliberation/lunch break
2:00pm – 2:30pm                presentation of awards
2:30pm – 3:30pm                media/interviews

WHEN
Saturday, May 14, 2016 from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM (EDT)

WHERE
17 Pearl St NW - 17 Pearl Street Northwest Room 217, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Team: University of Michigan Sustainability Without Borders
Schools represented: University of Michigan College of Engineering (United States), University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and Arts

Biomass Gasification for Makapads Production in Uganda

University of Michigan Sustainability Without Borders has developed a solution that would help Technology for Tomorrow Ltd. – an existing company in Uganda that manufactures sanitary pads out of papyrus – adopt a circular model for meeting the heating and electricity needs of its production facilities through biomass gasification of papyrus and paper waste materials.

Linnan Cao
Civil Engineering - University of Michigan College of Engineering

Shayan Golafshani
Data Science - University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and Arts

Nicholas Jansen
Program in the Environment - University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and Arts

Tochi Nwogu
Civil Engineering - University of Michigan College of Engineering

Brinda Yarlagadda
Environmental Engineering - University of Michigan College of Engineering