Energy and the Environment: Design and Innovation (2017-2018)

Each year, students on this team partner with faculty on a year-long project to explore the breadth of issues that confront our society in its need for clean, affordable and reliable energy.

In previous years, projects have focused on hydrogen economics, urban water systems, electric vehicles, solar-powered vehicles, a biogas-powered generator and a green emergency power system.

In 2017-2018, the team identified, designed and prototyped new energy technologies, systems and approaches related to electronic grid resilience and emergency backup power. Team members addressed tradeoffs among technological design choices, environmental impacts, economic viability and other issues related to grid resilience.

Timing

Fall 2017 – Spring 2018

Team Outputs

Island Grid Resilience and Emergency Backup Power (poster by Taylor Charbonnet, Assanatou Cissé, Imani Dorsey, Melissa French, Dylan Kaiser, Meryl McCurry), presented at Bass Connections Showcase, April 18, 2018

Reflections

Samuel Pickerill

Ismail Iberkak

This Team in the News

Students Publish Energy Research in First Issue of Duke’s Visible Thinking Journal

Energy Consumption Analysis & Proposed Retrofit of a Duke University Dormitory

Duke Seniors Share What Was Most Meaningful about Their Bass Connections Experiences

See related teams, Energy and the Environment: Design and Innovation (2018-2019) and Energy and the Environment: Design and Innovation (2016-2017).

Josiah Knight and Duke students

Team Leaders

  • Emily Klein, Nicholas School of the Environment-Earth and Climate Sciences
  • Josiah Knight, Pratt School of Engineering-Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

/graduate Team Members

  • Ananya Chaurey, Master of Environmental Management, Energy and Environment
  • Assanatou Mahamadou Cisse, Master of Engineering Mgmt-MEG

/undergraduate Team Members

  • Cole Hattler, Electrical & Computer Egr(BSE)
  • Samuel Pickerill, Environmental Sci/Policy (AB)
  • Maya Patel, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • Narendran Narasimhan, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • Meryl McCurry, Public Policy Studies (AB)
  • Katelyn McCracken, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • Philemon Kiptoo, Civil Engineering (BSE)
  • Dylan Kaiser, Civil Engineering (BSE)
  • Ismail Iberkak, Mechanical Engineering (BSE), Environmental Engineering BSE2
  • Jie Cai, Visual and Media Studies (MIN)
  • Melissa French, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • John Forlines, Public Policy Studies (AB)
  • Imani Dorsey, Environmental Sci/Policy (AB)
  • Tara Davis, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • Chad Curd, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • John Charbonnet, Economics (BS)