top of page

Winter IAT Advanced Recycling and Sustainability Workshop – Sprint 2 Recap



The second session of the Recycling and Sustainability IAT has just wrapped up, and we have some exciting updates on the progress of the student teams. During this session, the three student teams shared their developing ideas and solutions with mentors to refine them and ensure their viability.


One of the mentors, Connor was generous enough to lead a presentation on corporate sustainability strategies, which provided valuable insights as the teams began brainstorming how to implement their ideas. The teams also made great progress toward building their solution, to be shared in a 10-slide PowerPoint presentation this Friday. Read on for more details!


Reintroducing the Teams


As promised last week, let’s get to know the individual students working on the Recycling and Sustainability IAT. Unfortunately, one student had to drop out due to personal reasons, but the remaining participants are moving forward with determination. The three teams are:



  • Red Team: Aliyah Spriggs, Noah Young, and Sophia Dimas

  • Blue Team: Nathan Martin, Heather Gahler, and Alandya Durand

  • Green Team: Farnaz Darghiasi and Frank Durso



Let’s dive into the details of each team!


Red Team:

  • Aliyah Spriggs (University of Cincinnati, Real Estate Finance) brings a strong financial perspective, focusing on the viability of their solutions for both consumers and companies.

  • Noah Young (Boise State University, Mechanical Engineering) is key in translating ideas into practical, technically feasible solutions with his innovative and hands-on approach.

  • Sophia Dimas (Boise State University, Computer Science) applies her skills in data analysis and research to refine the team’s ideas and help bring their concepts to life.


Blue Team:

  • Nathan Martin (Boise State University, Mechanical Engineering) leverages his engineering background to guide the team through problem-solving and keep them on track.

  • Heather Gahler (University of Arizona, PhD in Communications) brings invaluable communication and storytelling skills to help the team effectively present and articulate their ideas.

  • Alandya Durand (Regent University, Management) provides strong leadership and organizational skills, ensuring that the team remains focused on their objectives.


Green Team:

  • Farnaz Darghiasi (Boise State University, PhD in Biomedical Engineering) contributes her knowledge of innovative materials and systems thinking to refine the team’s sustainability strategies.

  • Frank D’Urso (University of Arizona, Electrical and Computer Engineering) brings a strong technical background and expertise in the circular economy, which has helped the team focus on scalable and effective solutions.


Diverse Perspectives Fuel Innovation: 

With such diverse academic backgrounds, the students are bringing a variety of perspectives to the table. Their collaboration is fostering creative and innovative solutions in recycling and sustainability, as they work together to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time.


Key Objectives of Sprint 2


Schedule for Sprint Session 2
Schedule for Sprint Session 2

During this sprint, all three teams focused on enhancing material selection and recycling considerations in product development, specifically looking at plastic products within a circular economy. Some of the ideas discussed during the Sprint 2 session included exploring bottle return schemes, trash recycling systems, and novel ways to incentivize and streamline recycling for both businesses and consumers. The teams are determined to create solutions that are not only innovative but also practical and scalable.


Tools Used to Improve & Implement Ideas


Sprint 2 focused on refining and narrowing down the teams’ ideas to the most viable solutions. To aid in this process, the students used a variety of tools from the IAT toolkit, including the Concept Scorecard and the Critical Success Factor Tool.


4 Step Innovation Process
4 Step Innovation Process

Concept Scorecard: Helps the teams assess their ideas based on economic viability, technological feasibility, and alignment with their original concept.


Critical Success Factor Tool: Helps students evaluate ways to make their solutions better than the competition by solving customer problems, lowering costs, and improving overall performance.


After refining their ideas with mentor feedback, the students began to implement their solutions into a 10-slide pitch deck, which they will present on Friday, February 17th, 2024 at 2:30 PM. To guide them through this process, they used the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), a framework for assessing the maturity of a particular technology. They were also provided with a Lean Canvas and a 10-slide Pitch Deck Outline to ensure that their presentations would be structured and compelling.


Final Presentations and Scholarships


The teams are now preparing to present their solutions to a panel of judges this Friday. Their solutions will be scored based on their viability, creativity, and impact. Each student will receive a scholarship ranging from $450 to $600 based on their scores, with the highest-scoring team members receiving $600.


We can’t wait to see how these talented students apply what they’ve learned, and we’ll be back next week to share updates on their final presentations and reflect on their growth throughout the program.


Support Our Mission: If you’re passionate about sustainability and innovation, consider supporting our nonprofit by [donating, volunteering, etc.]. Every contribution helps us provide more opportunities for students to engage with real-world challenges. 




20 views0 comments

コメント


bottom of page