Costa Rican power plant reduces energy footprint

Global engagement and informed contributions to society

COSTA RICAN POWER PLANT REDUCESENERGY FOOTPRINT

The Mudders’ micro-hydroelectric station will produce about 48kWh of energy daily.

A seven-member Harvey Mudd College team headed to Costa Rica this summer to install a micro-hydroelectric station along a stream in a 150-acre nature reserve. The student-built station will produce an estimated 48 kWh of energy daily and potentially serve as a model other ecology centers can emulate. The project was funded by the Shanahan Student-Directed Project Fund and Mudders Making a Difference. Led by HMC engineering Professor Adrian Hightower and biology Professor Donald McFarlane (Pomona College), the team installed the station along Terciopelo Creek on the Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology reserve in Baru, Costa Rica. Unlike large stations that require dams, which alter the local environment, the microstation will work with the existing ecology, diverting only a fraction of the creek’s water to generate electricity.

The diverted water will flow through a PowerSpout turbine generator and then return to the creek. Power produced by the micro-station will supplement the ecology center’s energy needs.

Students Jinhwa Chun ’12, Alice Conant ’13, Abigail Korth ’13 and Lisbeth Santana ’12, and alumnus Brandyn Carlson ’11 spent June 5–11 setting up and testing the system. They also worked extensively with local experts and ecology center staff to ensure the system meets the needs of the people who will use it.

“In many cases, it’s this social aspect of the project that is most challenging for students. Especially those not accustomed to worrying about that part of a project and those unfamiliar with the culture and customs of the people,” said Hightower. “We could build a great system, but if it doesn’t fit in with what they typically do, or if it adversely affects some of their policies or processes, it won’t be a successful installation.”

Working on the station honed not only social understanding but also management skills for student project manager Jin-Hwa Chun ’12.

“The project opened my eyes about areas that most new engineering majors overlook,” said Chun. “I thought this would be a purely technical project, but it required lots of non-technical work such as collaboration with the University of Costa Rica, arranging meetings, requesting a budget and leading the team. The project definitely provided an opportunity to practice management and leadership roles.”

The team designed the system using materials available locally in Baru, so the ecology center can replace parts quickly, if needed, and work with local partners such as the University of Costa Rica to maintain the system.

—Koren Wetmore

STRATEGIC VISION Milestones

2006–2011

2009 continued from page 24

NSF CAREER grants awarded to biology Professor Robert Drewell and engineering Professor Nancy Lape

HMC launches Twitter account

For first time, HMC has two Churchill Scholarship recipients in same year

Students spend 16 days in Kenya on educational mission to share solar water purification method at secondary school. Trip is supported by Trustee Andrea Leebron-Clay and husband, Jim.

Merck/AAAS gives $60,000 to biology and chemistry departments

Pinky Nelson ’72 inducted into U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame

Annenberg Foundation gives $1 million for scholarships

Inventor Dean Kamen delivers commencement address to 164 graduates

HMC holds community meetings about campus and new teaching and learning building

HMC purchases 11.46 acres, expanding campus, preparing for future opportunities

HMC ranked No. 2 Best Engineering College by Salary Potential, PayScale

HMC Engineering program ties for No. 1 in nation. U.S. News & World Report

Impact Project launched to learn about successes, contributions and aspirations of alumni

$419,000 award from Mellon Foundation supports Core Curriculum revision efforts

HMC named a Top Value College, 100 Best Values in Private Colleges, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

$1-million gift establishes Kenneth A. and Diana G. Jonsson Professorship in Mathematics and the Jonsson Endowed Fund for Mathematics Department travel