A team of UW Master of Applied Bioengineering graduate students has been recognized for their innovative solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in healthcare settings. Team EnviroTect, comprising Mariah Estira, Kaitlin O’Keefe, Evan Smith and Amy Yang, won the $5,000 Big Picture Climate Action Prize presented by the UW Clean Energy Institute at the Environmental Innovation Challenge.

The team developed a specialized filtering device designed to capture volatile gases from anesthesia machines during surgeries before they can be released into the environment. Their solution addresses a significant but often overlooked source of greenhouse gas emissions in the healthcare sector.

EnviroTect was guided by two dedicated mentors: Clinical Mentor Dr. Chris Eixenberger from UW Medicine Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, and MAB Mentor and alumnus Sebastian Bibat. Their expertise and guidance were instrumental in helping the team develop their award-winning innovation.

The Climate Action Prize rewards student teams for novel hardware or software innovations that demonstrate a scalable approach for reducing emissions or sequestering greenhouse gases in any major sector of the economy. EnviroTect’s innovation stood out among competitors for its practical application and potential for immediate impact.

The Environmental Innovation Challenge brings together undergraduate and graduate students from across the Cascadia Corridor – Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, and Alaska – to develop meaningful solutions to pressing environmental and climate challenges. The competition provides students with a platform to transform their innovative ideas into viable solutions while gaining valuable hands-on experience outside the classroom.

UW Bioengineering congratulates Team EnviroTect on this outstanding achievement that demonstrates the department’s commitment to developing technology that addresses critical global challenges.