(AGENPARL) - Roma, 6 Giugno 2024 - (AGENPARL) – gio 06 giugno 2024 Issued: Jun 6, 2024 (1:25pm EDT)
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New York State High School Student Wins EPA’s 2024 Patrick H. Hurd Award for
Eco-Friendly Textile Dyes
WASHINGTON — Today, June 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
announced that Lucia Lammers, a senior at Harrison High School in Harrison,
New York, has won EPA’s 2024 Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award at the
2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles, CA.
Lucia’s project, “Spectroscopic and Colorimetric Analysis of Textiles Dyed
with Local Invasive Plant Species and Waste-Derived Mordants,” explored
eco-friendly textile dyes to help mitigate the negative environmental impact
of local invasive plant species, municipal wastes, and synthetic dyes.
“Congratulations to Lucia Lammers and all the finalists at the International
Science and Engineering Fair,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for
the Office of Research and Development. “Lucia’s project shows great
potential for making a difference that will positively impact our environment.
I commend all the participants for their curiosity, drive and dedication, and
encourage them to continue to pursue their passions.”
As part of her project, Lucia connected with local land conservation experts
to identify highly invasive plant species impacting biodiversity. She paired
dyes from these invasive plants using substances sourced from readily
available waste materials, allowing them to bind to textiles. Her innovative
approach produced dyes of a wide variety of saturated colors that were
successfully applied to textiles and are both safer and healthier for the
environment when compared to synthetic dyes. Additionally, by using a Life
Cycle Assessment, Lucia was able to identify the most cost-effective and safe
combination of materials. She hopes to use her passion for environmental
stewardship to create more eco-friendly textiles and fashion.
Honorable mention went to Sarah Gao, a junior at Canyon Crest Academy in San
Diego, California, for her project, “From Trash to Treasure: Fighting
Desertification with Sustainable Soil Amending Hydrogels Synthesized from Food
Waste.” After observing how quickly soil dries out after rainfall, Sarah
reflected on her kindergarten science fair project exploring the absorbency of
diapers. She began exploring if the liquid holding properties of diapers could
be translated in an environmentally sustainable way to improve moisture
retention of soil in regions experiencing or at risk of drought. Sarah
converted agricultural waste in the form of peels from locally available fruit
into water absorbing hydrogels for farmers and gardeners to use to sustain
soil moisture. She used bioinformatics to predict fruits with peels that could
be made into hydrogels, synthesized hydrogels, and demonstrated their
water-retaining abilities in soil.
EPA’s Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award provides the funds necessary for
the winning student to attend and participate in the following years’ EPA
National Student Design Expo. The Expo features the university and college
student teams of our P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet program which also
encourages innovative designs applying Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) to address an environmental challenge.
Lucia and Sarah were finalists at Regeneron® International Science and
Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest international pre-college
science competition, a program of the Society for Science. Since 2009, EPA has
participated in the ISEF, recognizing projects that demonstrate a commitment
to environmental sustainability and stewardship. This year, ISEF brought
together 1,699 high school students from 67 countries, regions and
territories, who presented their independent research in competition for over
$9 million in awards and scholarships.
Visit Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award for more information about EPA’s
participation in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and
to see past winners.
Visit International Science and Engineering Fair for more information about
the event.
Check out EPA’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet Student Design
Competition for more details about the program.
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