Dawson students building solar powered bike rack
A new bike rack will be set up this spring on Dawson鈥檚 campus. It is a project by three Dawson students, who entered it in the Green Innovation Challenge at John Abbott College in January and won the third-place prize of $500.
鈥淏ikers at Dawson experience many difficulties,鈥� said team member Kyana Boncy. 鈥淭hey report having trouble parking their bikes due to lack of space, faulty design and accessibility depending on the season.鈥�
The students鈥� project, Eco-Bike Rack (EBR), which was known as V茅lo Secure in the competition, will help reduce air pollutants like carbon monoxide and reduce energy waste by using solar panels to power lights for night use. It will also divert waste from landfills by using recycled materials like sheet metal and steel provided by Montreal-owned companies that are willing to donate. Best of all, it will provide sheltered bike parking for the Dawson riders!
The students鈥� vision is to build and install an accessible and secure bike rack for use during all four seasons, day and night. They expect the project will only cost about $300.
鈥淚 think our Eco-Bike Rack will encourage more students and staff to choose biking over cars and public transit,鈥� Kyana said.
The students involved in the competition stage of the development were: Kyana Boncy (Mechanical Engineering Technology), Arina Capral (International Business), and Miella Manjava (Social Science). They were supported by mentors Jenn de Vera of the Office of Sustainability and Adam Kingsland, a teacher in Mechanical Engineering Technology.
This semester, Kyana is in Adam Kingland鈥檚 Emerging Technologies class and Gabriel McFern鈥檚 Design Project class. Another Mechanical Engineering student, Maya Milette-Mestre, is also in these classes with Kyana. As class work for these two mech tech classes, Kyana and Maya are developing and bringing the bike rack project to implementation. Their goal is to have everything done this spring.
鈥淲e have designed the structure on computer-aided software and have access to workshops to machine and weld the parts. We’ve made significant progress since the competition,鈥� Kyana said.
Partners in the project are Dawson鈥檚 Facilities Management department, Office of Sustainability as well as faculty and students from Mechanical Engineering Technology. Kyana and Maya will be presenting their project at Dawson鈥檚 Science Fest in May.
鈥淚t was so exciting and heartwarming to see the three students, who had been strangers, come together and perform at such a high level!鈥� teacher Adam Kingsland said.
“We are so proud of the Dawson students,鈥� said Jenn de Vera of the Office of Sustainability. 鈥淚 cannot believe how well they worked together from first meeting each other in the morning. I believe winning third prize gave them the motivation to move forward and have their project become a reality by solving a real-world problem at Dawson.”
Pictured from left to right: Miella Manjava (Social Science student), Arina Capral (International Business student), Kyana Boncy (Mechanical Engineering Technology student)
What did the students learn from this project?
Kyana: Since we met on the date of the competition, we learned how to work as a team and take advantage of our strengths to be the best team. We learned about the business strategies that should be applied to develop a project. We also learned to work under pressure and prepare a presentation for four professionals in 45 minutes. We learned how to communicate efficiently. We learned about the United Nations鈥� 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Miella: While doing this project, I learned how teamwork plays a crucial role especially since the three of us showed up at the competition alone, yet we built a strong connection that same day. From brainstorming our ideas to our presentation in front of a jury, collaborating effectively allowed us to focus on our strengths, think fast and overcome challenges (e.g.: making a PowerPoint presentation in just one hour). I also gained valuable insights into sustainability thanks to the guidance of Jennifer de Vera and Adam Kingsland, past competition winners and fellow participants.
Arina: I learned a lot about teamwork and sustainability. I realized that when people work together, they can make a difference in their community. It surprised me that it is possible to create real change if we act.
