Saint Mary’s students among the finalists of the Atlantic AquaHacking Challenge

Six Saint Mary's students are among the finalists in a competition taking place across the Atlantic region, committed to solving freshwater issues through technology and entrepreneurship. Congratulations to SMU students Alexandra Embree, Robel Berhane, Kati van Zutphen, Guillermo Villareal de Lara, Matthew Mizzi and Robert Afari for making it to the finals of the Atlantic AquaHacking Challenge!

Source: AquaHacking Challenge Atlantic

The AquaHacking Challenge brings students, developers, designers, scientists, programmers, engineers, technology enthusiasts and entrepreneurs together to form interdisciplinary teams to tackle five different water challenges.   The competition began in February with 117 participants, and now only 22 remain across the five finalist teams.

Here is a list of the teams in the final and their solution:

• Clean Catch Baits
  
  Water Issue: Microplastics from Fishing Gear
  Team members: Robel Berhane, Kati van Zutphen and Guillermo Villareal De Lara
  
  How they describe their solution: We are the first to manufacture a 100% biodegradable, PVC Free, soft-bait fishing lure used for recreational fishing, developed through a unique organic biopolymer solution. Our baits biodegradation process starts just after 48 hours of submersion in the water, and best of all - they're edible! This technology allows anglers to fish worry free and contributes to the safety of fish, and all aquatic life.
  
  

• ExTech MIP
  
  Water Issue: Private Well Safety
  Team members: Aliasghar Golbabanezhadazizi and Fereshteh Shahhoseini
  
  How they describe their solution: We’re introducing a novel technology and devices for testing organic contaminants in water resources. This technology offers a reliable, fast, portable, and convenient measurement of organic contaminants in water resources. Our solution provides an easy method for onsite sampling of well water or any other freshwater resources using a field deployable and inexpensive device. Well-owners can easily perform the sampling and send this device by regular mail to the lab where instrumental analysis provides appropriate data for safety of the water resources.
  

• Water Innovators
  
  Water Issue: Treatment of Drinking Water in Rural and Indigenous Communities
  Team members: Rachel Hudson, Nathan McNally, Grace McNally, Waseem Jawad, Sochima Nnama, Patrick Palmer, Lauren Martin, Ben Veysey and Mudiwa Mharapara

  How they describe their solution: Our solution is a containerized distillation water treatment system that integrates off-the-shelf, existing technologies, to provide high quality trusted water to small rural and Indigenous communities in an accessible, sustainable, and culturally appropriate way.
  
  

• Well Warriors
  
  Water Issue: Private Well Safety
  Team members: Alexandra Embree, Jonathan Kan, Adam Fleiger and Liam Hartery

  How the describe their solution: Clarify is a user-friendly, web-based platform that educates, guides, and facilitates the process of treating well water. This will allow well water users to simply test and interpret their water quality. With Clarify, we strive to improve well water quality for all Atlantic Canadians.
  
  

• What the Well

  Water Issue: Private Well Safety
  Team members: Leili Abkar, Matthew Mizzi, Robert Afari and Anita Taylor

  How they describe their solution: We are proposing a service to help bring convenient testing to private well owners. Our solution will streamline the water analysis process using test kits and cloud analysis to reduce known barriers and increase well testing. SIP will provide instant water analysis and treatment consultation.
  

As the challenge has moved to phase 2, the teams will receive a $2,000 bursary courtesy of Canada's Ocean Supercluster. These funds will be used to invest in their solution, participate in a virtual retreat on water leadership and innovation, and continue to work with mentors as they refine their solutions in preparation for the Final on September 18, 2020.

The AquaHacking Challenge is an initiative of Aqua Forum founded by the de Gaspe Beaubien Foundation in 2015 to support technology and business development addressing environmental problems related to freshwater. After five successful years in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Basin, AquaHacking went national for 2020 with regional competitions across Canada.