STEM innovation is taking center stage with 12-year-old Eniola Shokunbi, a Nigerian student in Connecticut, making headlines for her remarkable contribution to respiratory care. Shokunbi, alongside her classmates at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy and scientists from the University of Connecticut, developed an affordable air filtration system to combat airborne viruses like COVID-19.
With a production cost of just $60 per unit, the filtration system utilizes four furnace filters, duct tape, cardboard, and a box fan. “The air goes through all the sides and comes out of the top, filtering in and out,” Shokunbi explained to NBC Connecticut. Impressively, the system demonstrated a 99% efficacy rate in removing viruses from the air.
This innovation recently received a significant boost when the State Bond Commission approved $11.5 million in funding under the Supplemental Air Filtration for Education Program. The funds will enable the installation of these filters across Connecticut schools, with UConn spearheading the project’s implementation.
Shokunbi expressed her excitement about the impact this innovation could have: “I want students to feel safe and healthy while they learn. This system could change so many lives.” She also highlighted the importance of investing in science for future generations.
With a vision to expand the system nationally, Shokunbi is on a mission to revolutionize school safety and health standards.