12/24/2014

The 'Grand Prize' at the LG Global Challenger

The Grand Prize winners at the '2014 LG Global Challenger'

On November 6 at the '2014 LG Global Challenger', students of HGU were granted the grand prize. Following last year, it is the second consecutive time HGU students were granted the grand prize.

The muSEAroom team, consists of Pyungwha Lim, Gyuri Lee, Juyeon Lee, and Yaejung Hand, suggested to use mushroom styrofoam buoys instead of chemical styrofoam buoys which are widely used in the sea. Chemical styrofoam buoys lead to environmental problems in the sea so in order to deal with these problems, the team suggested countermeasures.

They suggested constructing a mushroom styrofoam buoy from this eco-friendly styrofoam made with abandoned vegetable wastes and propagated by mushroom mycelium. The mushroom styrofoam will be 100% biodegradable and not affected by nature. The muSEAroom team visited the US company which developed mushroom styrofoam production technology and confirmed the economic efficiency and possibility of mass production. Also, they visited eco-friendly coating businesses in order to seek a way to enhance the life of the mushroom styrofoam.

After returning from the U.S. the team reported the results to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries which establishes and operates buoy related policies and the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute which promotes research on buoys.

Yaejung Han said, "I kept the slogan of HGU, let's share what we have learned, in my mind always and thought about how this project could bring a synergy effect to the world. I believed that we selected a good focus; mushroom Styrofoam, to solve an environmental problem. If you have a passion to use what you have learned and apply it to the place where God leads, you can be a global changer."

Professor Jaehyo Kim said, "I give thanks and glory to God. The alternative material which utilized mushroom mycelium was founded on the idea of developing a customized eco-friendly buoy. The team did their best even though they found obstacles. I highly praise their resilience to suggest the new countermeasure instead of giving up under difficulties. I hope that many students from HGU will be people who can see the unseen with faith. "

With this prize, all the members of the muSEAroom team are privileged to be employed by LG. Since 2000, HGU has received grand prizes in 2009 and 2013; the excellence award in 2010; and the top first prizes in 2007 and 2008.

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