Interview | Gr9 Eowyn presents her "Fog Trap" project

An Interview from Climate Battelle 2024

Eowyn has always been interested in using her skills to support sustainability. Most recently, she participated in the Climate Battelle Challenge, organized by Future Engineers. She submitted her project, called Fog Trap. The first results have been published and we are proud to share that Eowyn is semifinalist! 

The final results will be announced later, and already Eowyn is proud to showcase her school and the various sustainability actions it's involved in. In an interview by Climate Battelle, she speaks about her project and her involvement.

Tell us about your experience with the challenge. For example: what did you learn? What excites you most about your Climate Action Plan?

Hi! I’m Eowyn, a French-American high school freshman student at Lycée Français de San Francisco, with a passion for storytelling, exploring innovative solutions at the intersection of STEM (coding, science, technology), art (animation/game/music), and literature. Participating in the Battelle Challenge has been an incredibly enriching experience, offering me the opportunity to delve into environmental sustainability and the complexities of climate-related hazards in my community.

Through extensive research and analysis, I gained a deeper understanding of the profound impacts of drought on California's ecosystems and communities. Learning about the interconnectedness between climate hazards, urban water use, and biodiversity has underscored the urgency of implementing resilient solutions to mitigate these challenges.

I’m really excited about my Climate Action Plan, the Fog Trap, because, indeed, it represents a nature-inspired innovation that harnesses the power of fog to alleviate water scarcity and support urban biodiversity. I believe that its simplicity and scalability make it accessible to a wide range of people and community places, from public gardens and playgrounds to individual homes.

And what excites me most about my Climate Action Plan is its potential to catalyze tangible change and foster resilience in the face of climate adversity. I was inspired first-hand by the fog, here, in San Francisco, and by the different road trips and escapes in the wild I had with my family here in California (especially at the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Death Valley, the Yosemite National Park with the Mariposa Grove, or the Pinnacles National Park).

Fog harvesting systems (with nets) exist in the world, and, additionally, to that, some published papers confirmed that my idea to be inspired by nature and to combine the best of these two Californian plants, Northern California’s Redwoods-style leaves and Southern California’s Cactus-style spines and cluster base, to create the Fog Trap, may be a credible Climate Action Plan to implement.

My experience with the Battelle Challenge has been transformative, resonating deeply with my personal values and aspirations to create a better world, fueling my passion for environmental advocacy, and inspiring me to continue exploring innovative tech solutions to address pressing global challenges. I am excited to further refine and implement my Climate Action Plan, leveraging the knowledge and skills gained through this experience to make a meaningful impact in my community and beyond.

Tell us about your participation in the challenge. For example, did you participate at home, in class, or with an after-school club? How did you find out about the challenge? Why did you choose to submit an essay?

I participated in the Battelle Challenge at home, immersing myself in research and innovation to develop a Climate Action Plan that addresses the pressing issue of drought in California. While I worked independently on my submission, I was inspired by the guidance and encouragement of my science teachers at Lycee Francais de San Francisco, who have instilled in me a deep sense of environmental stewardship and the importance of science for positive change. We have environmental projects at school, indeed, such as the implementation of a solar paneled aquaponics aquarium, and we have Eco Tuesdays when we try to generate less waste at lunchtime. This has definitely helped me to have a stronger interest in sustainability and innovation. I’m currently involved in a project, the setup of a marketplace web app for farmers in Cameroon to sell their organic products, where I worked on the front end/design and the marketing/blog. I am motivated by the belief that small actions can lead to significant change. 

I discovered the Battelle Challenge through Futureengineers.org (I found this website because I would like to become an engineer). Among other challenges, I chose to submit an essay for the Battelle Challenge because this challenge resonated with some thoughts I already had regarding the drought issue we have here in California, and, after many hours of research, I was connecting the dots, it was like all the pieces of a puzzle were coming together. Through this essay and the poster, I could use my passion for storytelling, mentioning the situation we have here in California, and sharing my vision, the happy ending we could have thanks to the Fog Trap, to solve this environmental issue.

How does it feel to be (...) a semifinalist and for your entry to be recognized in a national contest? 

Being (...) a semifinalist in the Battelle Challenge is so exciting! The opportunity to have my entry recognized in a national contest, among so many other great innovative ideas, is very gratifying. I am thankful that my efforts to address climate-related hazards are being acknowledged. As a semifinalist, I am honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the dialogue surrounding environmental challenges our communities are facing.

What kind of job or career do you think you might have when you grow up? Did participating in this challenge make you think differently about what you might want to do?

For now, as a ninth-grader, my dream, to combine my passion of storytelling through STEM, art, and business innovation, is to become an engineer in computer science. But I’m still young, I know that my career aspirations may be evolving. I just know, for now, that participating in the Battelle Challenge has already broadened my perspective on potential career paths. Exploring innovative solutions to address climate-related hazards through the Fog Trap has, indeed, highlighted the intersection of environmental science, technology, and entrepreneurship. And if, in a few years, I can be at a university that provides rigorous academic challenges, to immerse myself in an intellectually stimulating environment, surrounded by exceptional mentors and a diverse community of scholars, I am sure I will be able to refine my critical thinking, expand my knowledge across various disciplines, and cultivate the skills necessary for innovative problem-solving. So, in some way, the Battelle Challenge is a big milestone that helps me shape my future.