A team of three Missouri S&T students in the Linda and Bipin Doshi Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering was recently awarded fifth place out of almost 150 teams in the international Switch Competition focused on addressing energy poverty around the globe. 
 
“Energy poverty is a serious issue that can be detrimental to the health, finances and overall development of a country,” says Benjamin Sommer, a senior from Warrenton, Missouri. “It was an eye-opening experience for our team to consider the different factors that lead to populations lacking access to energy for even basic needs, like lighting and cooking.” 
 
Teams focused on different countries experiencing energy poverty, and this group addressed the issues facing Namibia and Senegal. Their proposal included developing solar microgrids for the populations to use for electricity and using the power generated to develop local manufacturing to boost economic development. 
 
After submitting a proposal in early October, the team’s work made it through the preliminary and semifinal rounds of judging, and they then gave a presentation to a panel of judges during the finals round earlier this month. 
 
“In Namibia and Senegal, people experience a significant lack of accessibility to power due to the lack of electric infrastructure combined with dispersed populations living in remote areas,” says Morgan Mieger, a senior from High Ridge, Missouri. “For our proposal, we discussed how solar microgrids could be a viable solution for these areas that could be less costly than other options and allow areas to not be connected to a major power grid. 
 
“When I was without power for only a couple days after a flood in my hometown, it made me further appreciate just how important it is to have access to electricity,” she says.  “I hope competitions like this will lead to more people directly addressing energy poverty issues around the globe.” 
 
Sam Insall, a senior from Rolla, Missouri, says he appreciated taking part in the competition because it allowed him to visualize how his work could benefit people in a practical way. 
 
“When you see the amount of people without power, it brings that sense of humanity to the project,” he says. “This isn’t a theoretical topic. It is something directly affecting millions of people that needs to be solved.” 
 
The group participated in the competition as part of a new course developed by Dr. Joseph Smith, an S&T professor of chemical engineering, that teaches students to apply key principles from process intensification to improve chemical process technology and increase sustainability and economic performance.  
 
Smith’s research focuses on developing hybrid energy systems by applying principles of process intensification, and he says the Switch Competition helps students see where the technology will have the greatest impact. 
 
“The U.S. is at a crossroads related to advanced manufacturing that directly impacts both the economic and environmental health of our world,” he says. “I believe future peace and prosperity depends on successfully evolving next-generation energy technology, and I believe the Switch Competition helps meet this challenge.” 
 
For more information about Missouri S&T’s chemical engineering programs, visit chbe.mst.edu. 

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.