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.
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Research and Development (ORD) www.epa.gov
