Winners of the 2017 Utah Valley University Innovation Challenge were announced December 6, 2017 after a final showcase and judgement of the finalist’s proposals for better air quality which can be applied to solve Utah’s air quality problem.

 

The competition was split into two parts in which participants had to “Map the Problem” and create “Three Clean Air Ideas.” The challenge took about two months and started in September 2017.

 

Austin Bettridge and Kevin Shurtleff of the Civic Innovation team, advised by Luke Peterson, professor and director of the Office of New Urban Mechanics at UVU, took home the win after a close competition. They will have the chance to compete in Oxford’s global competition, “Map the System” which asks competetors from across the world to think about social and environmental change differently in Spring 2018.

 

Their proposal is to clean the air, end inversions, make green space, and produce renewable electric energy with solar updraft towers. You can see their full air quality submission at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw14SvHmsQY&feature=youtu.be.

 

The competition, which is going on its third year, was implemented by UVU’s Entrepreneurship Institute, College of Science and Health, New Urban Mechanics and the ENACTUS Club. The challenges come from a study by the State of Utah and Envision Utah on challenges problems the state will face in the next 40 years.

 

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About Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University is home to more than 35,000 students. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community college, state college, and, finally, a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU is one of Utah’s largest institutions of higher learning and offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand master degrees.