Center for Sustainabilty Undergraduate Research Projects
With generous support from the PSEG Foundation, the Stevens Center for Sustainability awards seven undergraduate scholars and their faculty mentors the opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research in sustainability and environmental justice. This 10-week summer research program integrates research, innovation, student learning, and community engagement to address environmental challenges in New Jersey.
Below are the projects from 2024:
Project name
In-pipe Hydropower
Description
This research explored the feasibility of using water turbines in place of pressure valves in pressurized pipe systems to convert wasted energy into electricity. Several existing patents that describe various approaches to converting in-pipe pressure to electricity were reviewed, to identify alternate approaches to capturing energy. Prototypes were designed and scaled up for production via 3D printing.
Team member(s)
Harrison Hinojosa – Senior, Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology
Advisor(s)
Dr. Chang-Hwan Choi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology
Project name
Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Methods Through Direct Air Capture (DAC) and Their Socioeconomic Implications
Description
The objective of this study was to examine the socioeconomic implications of Carbon Dioxide Removal and Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology, emphasizing how these technologies are perceived by various communities, their impact on institutions, and the potential benefits and challenges they present.
Team member(s)
Babajide Gbadamosi, sophomore, Computer Engineering, Duke University (formerly at Stevens)
Advisor(s)
Dr. Mohammad Ilbeigi, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology
Project name
Exploring Synergies Between New Jersey Regional Resilience Adaptation Action Plans (RRAAP), Engineering Students Capstone Projects, and Environmental Justice and Equity
Description
Research was focused on determining to what extent the actions outlined in the Resilient NJ Regional Resilience and Adaptation Action Plans facilitate engineering students in aiding environmental justice communities through senior design, capstone, or thesis projects. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), was used as a metric for communities’ need for environmental justice.
Team member(s)
Cora Scolaro, senior, Naval Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology
Advisor(s)
Dr. Jon Miller, Senior Associate Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology
Project name
Enhancing the Resilience of Communities by Addressing Environmental Challenges in Public Lakes
Description
The project included identification of major pollutant sources such as phosphorus and microplastics, and the development of targeted management practices to mitigate these issues. The ARez framework was applied to assess community resilience, highlighting areas of strength and vulnerability, and guiding policy recommendations.
Team member(s)
Mark Achkar, sophomore, Biology, George Washington University
Advisor(s)
Dr. Michel Boufadel, Distinguished Professor and Director at Center for Natural Resources, NJIT
Project name
Developing a Green Map to Highlight Local Businesses in Newark
Description
The objective of the project was to examine and document a method for constructing a “green map”, highlighting small and local businesses and organizations in Newark using Geographic Information System (GIS)-based tools.
Team member(s)
Ayanna Snowden, sophomore, Environmental Studies, Yale University
Advisor(s)
Dr. Prabhakar Shrestha, Assistant Director of Sustainability, NJIT
Project name
An Analytical Study of the Challenges Faced by Underprivileged Communities in New Jersey: Insights from Social Media Expressions
Description
By analyzing social media and news article content from general online sources using large language models, this team used sentiment analysis to identify negative-toned articles in more than 350 communities. By identifying and analyzing these issues, the research provides valuable insights that can help guide policymakers, community leaders, and social organizations in making informed decisions and intervention procedures for socially negative behavior.
Team member(s)
Tina Nosrati, Junior, Computer Science, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Advisor(s)
Dr. Arion Cheong, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Stevens Institute of Technology
Project name
Achieving Environmental Equity: An Analysis of New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law
Description
This research examined the effects on overburdened communities (OBCs) of New Jersey’s Environmental Justice (EJ) Law, passed in 2020 and implemented in 2023, which requires permit applicants for eight types of facilities “to consider the relative environmental and public health stressors affecting the host overburdened community and seek, in the first instance, to avoid a disproportionate impact”. The project used data from NJ DEP to examine the levels of 20 stressors in OBCs and non-OBCs before and after the passage of the EJ law to determine if the law was effective in reducing stressors on OBCs.
Team member(s)
Aamir Jamil, Sophomore, Government and Philosophy, with a minor in Spanish, Georgetown University
Advisor(s)
Dr. Enrique Nuñez, Professor of Business, Ramapo College of New Jersey
