STEM-In-Action Spring Scoop: STEMper Tantrums
Our STEM-In-Action Grant winning teams have been hard at work for the past year advancing their eCYBERMISSION projects to make a difference in their communities. If you're new to the eCYBERMISSION blog, the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) awards STEM-In-Action Grants of up to $5,000 to eCYBERMISSION teams that wish to further develop and implement their projects in their communities. We're checking back in with this year's STEM-In-Action Grant teams to get the inside scoop on their project process. Our third Spring Scoop features team STEMper Tantrums.
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We are the STEMper Tantrums, a trio of 9th graders from Chantilly HS. We, Ashrita, Anika, and Symphony, possess a great passion for science and have participated in science competitions since we were in 3rd grade.
Through research and volunteer work in our community, we realized the threat disposable diapers pose to the environment and the economic threat diapers pose to vulnerable families in our community. This led us to want to take action by making a biodegradable, affordable diaper. Additionally, we are conducting an environmentally-friendly diaper drive to support the families in our communities to provide environmentally-friendly diapers for the time being until more action can be taken.
Making Big and Small Steps Forward
Since receiving the grant we have made significant progress on our plan. Our progress mainly includes speaking with professors of NC State and George Mason University, testing the properties of five current commercial diaper brands, making a plan for creating our diaper, entering our project into our school’s science fair, purchasing a few materials for our diaper, and using all the feedback we have received to conduct additional research on our diaper plans. Our real-time goals include successfully connecting with nonwoven companies to be able to order our nonwovens, completing the construction of our diaper, and completing a comparison between our diaper and other diaper brands. Our future goals include concluding our project by writing an in-depth analysis explaining all aspects of our project.
Nonwovens, Nonwovens, Nonwovens
Nonwovens are textiles which unlike knit or woven fabrics have fibers randomly pressed against each other, think cotton candy. These textiles are commonly used in medical masks, disposable diapers, cleaning wipes, hygiene products, and more. Additionally, nonwovens are affordable, absorbent, soft, durable, and breathable. We have been reaching out to professors with whom we have worked to ask for any contacts they have with nonwoven companies or any samples of nonwovens they can send us. Hopefully we are able to receive nonwovens as this is the largest challenge that we are currently facing. Additionally, we continue to have challenges on the biodegradable elastic. We are considering using biodegradable adhesives for adhering the layers of nonwovens as well as for the closings of our diaper.
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| Team STEMper Tantrums |
Through research and volunteer work in our community, we realized the threat disposable diapers pose to the environment and the economic threat diapers pose to vulnerable families in our community. This led us to want to take action by making a biodegradable, affordable diaper. Additionally, we are conducting an environmentally-friendly diaper drive to support the families in our communities to provide environmentally-friendly diapers for the time being until more action can be taken.
Making Big and Small Steps Forward
Since receiving the grant we have made significant progress on our plan. Our progress mainly includes speaking with professors of NC State and George Mason University, testing the properties of five current commercial diaper brands, making a plan for creating our diaper, entering our project into our school’s science fair, purchasing a few materials for our diaper, and using all the feedback we have received to conduct additional research on our diaper plans. Our real-time goals include successfully connecting with nonwoven companies to be able to order our nonwovens, completing the construction of our diaper, and completing a comparison between our diaper and other diaper brands. Our future goals include concluding our project by writing an in-depth analysis explaining all aspects of our project.
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| STEMper Tantrums hard at work |
So Much to Do, So Little Time
The most prominent speed bumps we have encountered have been time constraints and successfully connecting with nonwoven companies and manufacturers to be able to order the necessary nonwoven layers for our diapers. We are addressing time constraints by preparing a list of things to do during our weekly meetings, so everyone can finish their parts when they have time.
The most prominent speed bumps we have encountered have been time constraints and successfully connecting with nonwoven companies and manufacturers to be able to order the necessary nonwoven layers for our diapers. We are addressing time constraints by preparing a list of things to do during our weekly meetings, so everyone can finish their parts when they have time.
Nonwovens, Nonwovens, Nonwovens
Nonwovens are textiles which unlike knit or woven fabrics have fibers randomly pressed against each other, think cotton candy. These textiles are commonly used in medical masks, disposable diapers, cleaning wipes, hygiene products, and more. Additionally, nonwovens are affordable, absorbent, soft, durable, and breathable. We have been reaching out to professors with whom we have worked to ask for any contacts they have with nonwoven companies or any samples of nonwovens they can send us. Hopefully we are able to receive nonwovens as this is the largest challenge that we are currently facing. Additionally, we continue to have challenges on the biodegradable elastic. We are considering using biodegradable adhesives for adhering the layers of nonwovens as well as for the closings of our diaper.
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| Working hard to promote nonwoven materials |
Sharing Our Story
Throughout the process, we have garnered publicity. We reached out to a weekly magazine who has agreed to tell our story, we hope to provide information on that soon. In addition to our publicity through the magazine, we can get word out about our project by speaking with our school newspaper and local newspapers. We also hope to gain publicity through the science fair as we advance to regionals.
Future Aspirations
Moving forward, we are most excited about building our diaper and moving on to the regional science fair. Building our diaper and learning how to make a manufacture-ready product will be very useful regarding the experience and knowledge we gather from it. Moving on to the regional science fair will be very exciting as we would love to have the opportunity to take our project to an even further step aside from the STEM-In-Action Grant. If we could pick the most ideal outcome for our project, it would be to have made a well-performant, biodegradable, affordable, comfortable, and manufacture-ready diaper that has been well-executed and has garnered publicity.
Moving forward, we are most excited about building our diaper and moving on to the regional science fair. Building our diaper and learning how to make a manufacture-ready product will be very useful regarding the experience and knowledge we gather from it. Moving on to the regional science fair will be very exciting as we would love to have the opportunity to take our project to an even further step aside from the STEM-In-Action Grant. If we could pick the most ideal outcome for our project, it would be to have made a well-performant, biodegradable, affordable, comfortable, and manufacture-ready diaper that has been well-executed and has garnered publicity.
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Firstly, congratulations to team STEMper Tantrums for advancing to regionals at their local science fair! It is wonderful to see teams continue to grow and compete with their eCYBERMISSION projects. We are so impressed by their tenacity to identify nonwoven manufacturers and partners even when it gets tough. We can't wait to see what they do next!
Join us next week as we hear from the next STEM-In-Action Grant winners. Projects can begin now for the 2024-2025 eCYBERMISSION competition, and the eCYBERMISSION Mini-Grant application is now open for teachers.
Faith Benner
Senior Communications and Marketing Specialist
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