U. student group gets selected for 1st time to Marine Energy Collegiate Competition

Rutgers will be sending a team of undergraduate students to the U.S. Department of Energy's Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC) for the first time in University history, according to a press release.

The MECC is a national research competition that invites student teams to design and propose a marine energy product through a multi-disciplinary approach, from the device's technical specifications to its commercial marketing plan.

Katherine Moreira, a School of Engineering senior and captain for RU Power, the team entering the competition, said that her team is developing a marine turbine that could use the natural velocity of water in rivers to produce electricity.

She said that she initially learned about the competition from Onur Bilgen, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who serves as the team's main faculty advisor. Moreira, who has research and internship experience in the electrical engineering field, was eligible for the captain role.

Since the MECC encompasses engineering, community engagement and business challenges, Moreira said that her primary responsibilities as captain center on delegating individual tasks to ensure the creation of a functional product and effective collaboration within the team.

The team has finished designing the marine turbine and now seeks to build it using the manufacturing resources on campus, such as the machine shop and 3D printers, she said.

Regarding the public perception of various renewable energy sources, Moreira said that while wind and solar energies are more commonly highlighted, the impact of marine power can help New Jersey, the U.S. and other countries reach recognized climate goals.

"Water power specifically is a market that's seen so many different implementations of so many different designs," she said. "Things like utilizing tidal energy out in the ocean … (to) using the potential energy that you find with the dams ... I would also emphasize energy equity. So water is something that's just available all throughout the world, and having a turbine like this … it is just very important to make sure that everyone's able to access some kind of energy."

Moreira also said that the participation of Rutgers in the MECC has provided the opportunity for students to showcase their knowledge and abilities and for the University to demonstrate its vast research capacity.

Rylie Gantz, a School of Engineering junior and RU Power's business sub-team lead, said that although the team mostly consists of engineering students, some members are from other programs and work more on the business side of marine energy.

She said that there are also some animal science majors on the team interested in the turbine's effects on animal welfare. Gantz hopes that the team will continue to expand, recruiting members from other Rutgers schools for future MECC competitions.

Similar to Moreira, Gantz said that marine energy is a significant pathway to establishing a more sustainable and clean energy system. She also pointed to the contributions that students can make to the climate or energy transition as they contemplate their careers.

"I think that students are a new generation, so the impact and the passion, I think, really starts in college, where we want to go out into our careers and (figure out) what problems do we want to try to solve," she said.

Gantz said that she is excited to be a part of this shared pursuit among like-minded students and gain further insight into the industry as she considers pursuing a profession in marine engineering.

Gregory Methon, team advisor and postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said that they welcomed the opportunity to mentor the student team and share their technical expertise from their research on wind and hydroelectric turbines.

Methon said that advising the MECC team is another way for them to understand their interests in marine energy as they decide between continuing their career in academia or industry. Methon also underlined the value of the students interacting with advisors from various University departments.

"I feel that with this competition, I'll learn as much from the students as they will from me," Methon said. "The knowledge I can bring them will be beneficial, I hope."