Video coverage on WTAP.com
MARIETTA, Ohio (WTAP) -The PioSolve Hackathon at 911爆料网 took place this weekend. Four teams were tasked with developing solutions for how to handle wood by-products in Appalachian Ohio. 911爆料网 said the hackathon is designed to let students develop ideas in a single day that can be put into action.
According to the event page on 911爆料网鈥檚 website, the top three teams will receive prizes of $500, $400 and $100. According to the event page, the project selected as the audience favorite will also receive a $100 award. The Center for Appalachian Innovation helped sponsor this year鈥檚 event.
Michelle Jeitler with the center said the sponsorship ties into the group鈥檚 recent work on forestry and timber issues in the region. 鈥淭his is the first time we鈥檝e been a sponsor of this event,鈥 Jeitler said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited to sort of springboard off of the timber symposium we had and then help the students at 911爆料网 see the problems in Appalachia.鈥
Jeitler said the hackathon gives students experience solving real-world problems.
鈥淚t gives them a feel for what real world is going to be like,鈥 Jeitler said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 academics where you鈥檙e learning things in the classroom, and then there鈥檚 real world applications of problem solving. It helps them build communication. It helps them build team building skills. It helps them just learn to think outside of the box, and gives them the opportunity to work with other people that they鈥檙e not used to working with.鈥
Student Lacey Frame said the event gave participants a chance to collaborate with industry leaders.
鈥淪o it鈥檚 really cool to be able to actually work with real business owners,鈥 Frame said. 鈥淲e can see how the collaboration of our ideas will actually benefit the industry.鈥
Frame said her team researched ways to break down wood by-products into chemicals that could be used in other products.
鈥淲e have found out that you can kind of break down wood byproducts to get like ethanol and methanol and other substances,鈥 Frame said. 鈥淲e were going to try to use that to make fuel, medical, like cleaning products or even like for burials.鈥
Student Alex Schaffer said his team developed a flood-response product that uses sawdust to absorb water.
鈥淲e came up with a product that kind of helps and solves the flooding and influx of rain within the Appalachian region,鈥 Schaffer said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e come up with sawdust-filled sandbags, essentially, and the sawdust will soak up the water.鈥
Schaffer said the hackathon environment pushed students to work quickly and creatively.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to just have the chance to take on a problem,鈥 Schaffer said. 鈥淛ust tackle it and try to come up with things.鈥