CHATTERBOX - Lochwinnoch

Congratulations Simas
Simas Stilius, former Lochwinnoch
primary school pupil and current
resident, has won, with two other
Strathclyde University students, the
prestigious BP Ultimate Field Trip
competition 2012.
The Strathclyde team, known as
‘Aspire’, came first in the nationwide
challenge after impressing the judges
with its innovative solution to a
problem set by BP. The question
posed to this year’s crop of science,
technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) students saw
them find a way to “create the world’s
first zero carbon dioxide oil refinery
by 2030”. Aspire’s three members –
Guy Drori, Simas Stilius, and Edward
Kay – were rewarded with a six week
paid internship in Port of Spain,
Trinidad and Tobago and the Gulf of
Mexico after presenting their idea of
using algae to absorb the unwanted
CO2.
Team Aspire set out a plan to provide
optimal conditions for algae to
photosynthesise, using flue gas taken
from the refinery. As well as providing
a system for carbon capture, they also
hoped to sell the algal biomass at a
profit – intending to use it in biofuels
as well as pharmaceuticals.
Almost 250 teams entered this year’s
competition and were judged by a
panel of experts, including David
Eyton and Ellen Williams, BP’s head
of technology and BP Chief Scientist,
as well as TV presenter and scientist
Kevin Fong.
Well done Simas, enjoy the West
Indies!
Simas (middle)
Photos: Zul Bhatia
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