2026-27 Capstone
Scientists and engineers at the University of Texas have discovered an enzyme that can “eat” plastic, breaking it down much faster than it would naturally degrade. This enzyme could potentially help address an important environmental problem: what to do with the billions of tons of plastic waste piling up in
2026-27 Capstone
Mycelium is the root network of fungi, and it could become a sustainable alternative to plastic. Producing mycelium involves a six-step process that takes around 5–14 days. The process cultivates fungal root networks on agricultural waste substrates and guides their growth into a more durable and malleable composite
2026-27 Capstone
Concrete is one of the most widely used materials in the world because of its strength and ability to create durable foundations and structures. However, one of its main ingredients, cement, has a major environmental impact. Producing cement requires heating and processing limestone, which releases large amounts of carbon dioxide
The piece frames the core problem as geography determining who gets screened before disease progresses, not just who gets treated once it's found. The CDC statistic cited, that rural residents are more likely to die from the most preventable cancers, reframes distance as a mortality risk in itself,
2026-27 Capstone
Denovia is a research company in the sustainable waste management industry that is working toward a new era of plastic recycling. The company is developing a chemical recycling technology that converts post-consumer textile waste into high-purity acid monomers, creating a potential solution for a more profitable circular economy.
Arts & Lifestyle
Chris Jordan is an artist who uses photography to explore themes such as garbage, overconsumption, and our relationship with waste. His artwork Whale, 2011, depicts what initially appears to be a blurry image of a whale. However, as you look closer, you begin to realize that the seemingly unintelligible specks
2026-27 Capstone
Flowers have been a part of Marcin Rusak’s family for generations, with his family working as florists and selling flowers as a business. But during a visit to London, Rusak encountered a side of the flower industry he had never seen so closely. At the city’s famous flower
2026-27 Capstone
Save Ralph is a short animated film about Ralph, a rabbit who is used for cosmetic testing in a laboratory. Throughout the film, Ralph explains that his entire family died as a result of animal testing. Despite the suffering he experiences, he believes that the work is important because he
2026-27 Capstone
What began as thousands of discarded bottle caps became something much greater: a 43-foot mural created by Venezuelan artist Oscar Olivares, recognized as the largest artwork of its kind made from recycled materials. At its center is the portrait of a Central American woman, whom Olivares calls a “Latin
This article follows one specific patient through the exact scenario my project is centered on: a medical emergency where distance to a specialist could have meant permanent disability or death. It also raises a design detail worth remembering: the technology didn't replace the local hospital's role,
2026-27 Capstone
I have read other poems about recycling and sustainability, but A Message in a Bottle impacted me more because of the visuals that go along with it. The video follows a man doing normal everyday things, like eating fast food, using cleaning products on his car, using cosmetic products, and
Special Interest
What if belonging could be designed into an assistive device before function ever is? Wright's account of 55-plus home design shows a field that has already made this shift. Trading "clinical-looking grab bars" and "walk-in tubs" for curbless showers and open,