ISAT Hydrogen Team Helps Kick Off First Science and Engineering Festival

Washington, DC- On the weekend of October 23-24, thousands gathered to kick off our nation’s first USA Science and Engineering Festival. The festival incorporated endless exhibits of hands-on science activities and performances in order to continue to inspire youth involvement in science, engineering and mathematics. The local festival was held within the National Mall and surrounding areas of Washington DC as well as 50 other sites in 20 cities nationwide. Learn more about the Festival.

The JMU Center for STEM Education and Outreach organized a booth to share outreach projects with Festival visitors.  One of the feature projects was a hands-on display of hydrogen-based transportation staffed by a team of six Integrated Science and Technology majors.  These students, under the advisement of ISAT Professor Dr. Chris Bachmann, are working to produce a Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC) for hydrogen gas production. The team is also working to create JMU’s first hydrogen powered vehicle utilizing a 3 kW hydrogen fuel cell. Specific questions regarding the renewable production of hydrogen were fielded by Taylor Moellers, Andrew Spurr, Vincent Zampelli and team lead Daniel Attard. Questions regarding current fuel cell technologies and the implementation within the transportation sector were fielded by Dan Knox and Ellis Gore.

The Hydrogen group set up multiple interactive displays and kits to show how hydrogen can be produced in renewable ways using electrolysis. One of the most exciting kits shown was a remote controlled model hydrogen vehicle. Students of all ages as well as adults took a hands-on learning approach by producing hydrogen at a small scale refueling station. The Hydrogen was then used to power the H2 Racer remote controlled model car’s electric motor. The interactive models allowed participants to enhance their understanding of hydrogen as well as begin to think of means of improving current technologies for future generations.