News Releases from Region 02

New Jersey High School Student Wins EPA Sustainability Award

NEW YORK – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Charlotte Michaluk, a freshman at Hopewell Valley Central High School in Pennington, New Jersey, was selected as honorable mention for the agency’s Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award at the 2021 virtual Regeneron® International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Charlotte’s project, titled “Innovative Climate Change Emissions Reduction: The Cargo Ship Flettner Rotor Centrifugal Vortex Exhaust Scrubber,” developed a novel and efficient system for reducing emissions from cargo ships.

“The student finalists in this year’s ISEF are applying Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) concepts in remarkable ways to help protect human health and the environment, and their projects are truly inspiring,” said EPA Science Advisor Dr. Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta. “Despite a challenging academic year, I congratulate all of this year’s finalists for their remarkable passion and enthusiasm, and I encourage them to continue to seek innovative ways to tackle complex environmental challenges.” 

EPA’s Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award provides funds for the winner to travel to EPA’s National Sustainability Design Expo. The Expo features the university and college student teams participating in EPA’s P3: People, Prosperity and the Planet program, which encourages innovative designs applying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics concepts to address environmental challenges. 

Created and produced by the Society for Science & the Public, the virtual 2021 Regeneron ISEF showcased the innovative projects of 1,833 finalists from 64 countries, regions and territories who compete for approximately $5 million in awards and scholarships. Since 2009, EPA has participated in the ISEF by recognizing a project that demonstrates a commitment to environmental sustainability and stewardship with the EPA Patrick H. Hurd Sustainability Award.

For more information about EPA’s participation in the Regeneron ® International Science and Engineering Fair and to see past winners of the Patrick H. Hurd Award, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/research/epas-patrick-h-hurd-sustainability-award 

More information about EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet Student Design Competition for Sustainability: https://www.epa.gov/P3 

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