The UConn and Eversource Energy proudly presented the Clean Energy and Sustainability Innovation Program (CESIP) Award to chemical engineering Ph.D. students Azeem Sarwar and Muhammad Hassan, and chemistry Ph.D. student Maham Liaqat for their project, \u201cUConn\u2019s Wastewater to Bioenergy: Integrated Chlorella Cultivation and Pyrolysis,\u201d during the North American Power Symposium (NAPS) held on Monday, at the Hartford Marriott Downtown in Hartford.<\/p>\n
The award includes a full year of funding to support the team\u2019s continued work on their innovative solution.<\/p>\n
The CESIP challenge brought together student teams from across disciplines to develop forward-thinking solutions to pressing energy and environmental challenges. This year\u2019s finalists showcased a wide range of creative and impactful ideas from wastewater-to-energy generation to enhancing photovoltaic infrastructure, reflecting the next generation\u2019s commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future.<\/p>\n
\u201cCongratulations to this year\u2019s winning team, whose project stood out for its ingenuity and potential to make a real-world impact,\u201d said Catherine Finneran, Vice President of Transmission Development, Siting and Project Engagement at Eversource. \u201cWe were incredibly impressed by all of the presentations \u2013 the level of thought, collaboration and innovation on display by these UConn students was truly inspiring.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis program exemplifies the power of collaboration between academia and industry,\u201d said Emmanouil “Manos” Anagnostou, Executive Director of UConn\u2019s Institute of the Environment and Energy. \u201cOur partnership with Eversource continues to create meaningful opportunities for students to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges and contribute to the future of clean energy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The award highlights Eversource\u2019s ongoing commitment to developing a talent pipeline within the state of Connecticut, to supporting academic research and innovation in clean energy and to fostering partnerships that drive progress toward a more sustainable energy future.<\/p>\n