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The SkillShop at Nunez will be available to participants in Nunez Community College’s Marine Debris Removal Challenge design contest this spring and summer. Teams of two will receive a supply budget and access to tools to build a prototype. Pictured, Construction Technology Program Chair Adam Bourne uses a sander in the SkillShop.
Nunez Community College and Sea Grant are calling all designers, builders and visionaries to help clean the Mississippi River.
The deadline to enter the contest has been extended to April 17. Participants can register at Nunez.edu.
The Marine Debris Removal Challenge design contest at Nunez tasks designers, paired in teams of two, with developing a prototype to clear post-storm debris from the river. Through June 28, teams will receive access to the Nunez SkillShop and a $660 supply budget, thanks to funding from Sea Grant, to develop their prototypes. Afterward, the top three teams will present their designs to Start Up St. Bernard in August.
Teams will also be advised by faculty and staff from Nunez’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Division and the Coastal Studies and GIS program. STEAM will oversee time spent using the Nunez SkillShop, while Coastal Studies will introduce competitors to the problem, the need for action, and relevant data to bear in mind about the Mississippi River, its delta and barrier islands.
“The Marine Debris Challenge has been several years in the making. Dr. Rexford and I were presented with a challenge to create a program to educate and develop methods to remove litter from the Mississippi River, where our drinking water comes from. Our goal is to support local ingenuity to help solve this persistent problem and encourage a potentially new small business pathway,” said Jacqueline Richard, Coastal Studies and GIS Program Manager and Associate Professor of Geology at Nunez.
Designers will have a broad range of tools at their fingertips at the Nunez SkillShop. The maker space is stocked with 3D printers and modeling software, CNC routers, laser cutters, power tools, hand tools, Adobe creative programs and more.
For additional information, email Dr. Julie Rexford, Director of STEAM, at [email protected].
About Nunez Community College
Nunez Community College is a student-centered institution that delivers relevant and innovative curriculum integrating the arts, sciences, and humanities leading to academic credentials and workforce opportunities. Nunez serves a vital role in the community by engaging with partners to support student success and personal growth. Nunez Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Nunez Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org). Nunez is located at 3710 Paris Road, Chalmette, LA. For more information, visit www.nunez.edu.
