IMIRS Institute of Marine Innovation, Research & Sustainability

Sandwich STEAM Projects Presentation: 4/9/15

Presented by: Tom Whittlesey, C. Eben Franks, and Steve Kramer

OVERVIEW   A collaboration between Sandwich STEM Academy and

IMIRS to establish an incubator space for student engagement with business and research professionals

  IMIRS was founded by a diverse group of environmental practitioners whom identified a need to encapsulate all of the growing connections between regional students, local educators and professionals

  Pronounced like the word “immerse,” IMIRS name is derived from the concept of a full immersion in authentic and experiential learning

IMIRS

  Seacology Station is a monitoring platform and mobile pontoon station in Cape Cod Bay / Nantucket Sound that functions as a home base for marine research/education, Quadrofoil/ROV launches, aquaculture/remediation projects, and state-of-the-art water quality data-aggregation and sampling equipment.

  SySTEMic is a kit of parts for prototyping sustainable systems and products. The kits will be part of a friendly-competition between schools in the Cape-wide STEM consortium, whereby local teams of students, teachers, and professional mentors will prototype toward systemic solutions for environmental issues like water treatment/desalination; food/fertilizer production; and renewable energy generation.

  FeedForward is a educational project that implements a closed-loop system based on the Waste = Food concept. This system will involve anaerobic digesters, renewable energy generation, fertilizer production, permaculture, composting/recycling, culinary arts, CCCC internships, Sandwich STEM student campaigns and humanities.

Institute for Marine Innovation, Research & Sustainability AQUAPONICS AQUACULTURE

BIOPLASTICS3D PRINTING

BIOMASS ENERGY& FERTILIZER

PHOTO- BIOREACTOR

RESEARCH &EDUCATION

RENEWABLE ENERGY

The Institute for Marine Innovation, Research & Sustainability (IMIRS) is creating unique opportunities to connect students with professionals in marine technology, engineering, and environmental science. IMIRS will focus on authentic and experiential projects to study human impacts on the environment, while driving innovation to address the present and imminent challenges we are facing. IMIRS aims to become an institute that catalyzes the restoration of Cape Cod’s economy and ecology. By bridging education with innovation, IMIRS will build a continuum between learning and job opportunities.

Current Projects:

AQUAPONICS

Organic Aquaponics & Horticulture   Vertical Aquaponic/Aeroponic horticulture maximize use of

grow space and light   Vertical Aeroponics utilize mist and drip feeders to minimize

water/energy expenditure and optimize fertilizer resources as they recycle the nutrients

  Aquaponics has a symbiotic relationship with Aquaculture as the excess water and fish waste nutrients are harnessed through the horticulture system

  Both Aquaponics and Aeroponics expedite grow times, yielding greater/faster harvests than traditional methods

STEM  Gardening  Club  

Sustainable Energy & Fertilizer   Organic Biomass is converted into renewable Biofuel with a

pelletizing machine for making heat/electricity   Nutrient-rich Biomass pellets are also utilized as fertilizer for

lawns, gardens, and horticulture applications   Pelletizer converts many types of biological media into

Biofuel products, including harvesting wild algae blooms and invasive species like Phragmites Reed Grass, which remediates endangered marine habitats

  Pelletizer recycles food waste and Bio-Plastic products   Pelletizer also makes aqua-/agriculture animal feed products

BIOMASS ENERGY& FERTILIZER

STEM  Ecology  Club  &  Energy  Projects  

IMIRSV: Environmental Art & Design Projects Tom Whittlesey

  Architecture & Imagination: Students research and design IMIRS site and buildings   Field/Ocean trips for site specific installations, photography, and mapping studies   Digital skill building exercises in: graphic, industrial, and environmental design   Cross-Currents: Student ideation exercises with business/science professionals   3-D Printing with algae; Sustainable materials for modeling, furniture, and products   Portfolio building and Student Exhibition   Studio / Museum Tours

IMIRS~STEM

Seacology Station   Studies on pollution and water quality monitoring, plus digital apps

and high-speed data download   IMIRS envisions creating a Seacology Station in Cape Cod Bay/

Nantucket Sound. This mobile barge-like station will function as a home-base for research projects, vessels, and data-aggregation

  First project will focus on mapping Scorton Creek watershed to collect data on water quality and pollution sources, to be used for informing public policy and targets of preservation/remediation

Quadrofoil OceanLab Barge Ocean Farm/Desal Hyper-Sub

IMIRS

ROV/Glider Workshops: Eben Franks & Beth Simmons

  Sandwich STEM Academy students building autonomous and robotic underwater vehicles (Gliders and ROVs). Last year’s all volunteer launched pilot program attracted 50 Sandwich 6/7 grade students.   Field trip to Lewis Bay and Scorton Creek: ROVs with water quality sensors upcoming   Regional and International Robotics ROV Competitions   Hosting ROV competitions in the Sandwich pool and Cape Cod Aquarium with stadium seating

IMIRS~STEM

"Imagination is more important than knowledge.

For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand,

while imagination embraces the entire world,

and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

~Albert Einstein