Winners Announced for the First Graphene Composites Design Contest

Before lunch at the Graphene Innovation and Research Conference in Jackson, MS, finalists for the first Graphene Composites Design Competition pitched their ideas to a panel of judges. CEO Charles Chang served as announcer for the event and kept the audience and entrants in suspense as he presented the awards from Honorable mention to First place.

Hearty congratulations to first place winner Dr. Buddha Jayasena for the MVE Fusion Series medical application of graphene composites. Graphene Applications in Acoustic-Stirling Prime Movers and Heat Pumps was co-authored with Dr. Doug Wilcox. Jayasena is a mechanical engineer with nine years of experience in the manufacturing industry and R&D settings, and earned his PhD in Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering at Nanyang Technological University in 2013. Wilcox is a development engineer who earned his PhD in Acoustics at Penn State University in 2017 and is employed with Jayasena at Chart Industries, Inc.

The winner of second place stole the hearts of many as 10 year old genius Liam Mooney pitched his idea with clarity and a touch of humor as he described a graphene composite coating for gloves. His invention will enhance grip and allow the wearer to use their electronic devices while wearing gloves. He plans to develop his prototype and return for Phase II of the competition in Washington, DC next year.

Third place winner Alexander Lopez entered the competition with fellow University of Mississippi student John Malone. Their invention is a high throughput Graphene Oxide membrane fabrication system for global expansion of desalination systems.

Allison Buchanan, CEO at The Focus Group on the Gulf Coast and graduate of The University of Mississippi, won fourth place for her innovative idea to use graphene as an additive for longevity and durability of acrylic fingernail manicures.

Fifth place winning team Daniel Scott and Farbod Moghaddam offered their idea to mix graphene with fingernail polish, creating a product a non-toxic, high performance product.

Honorable Mention was awarded to Adam Dick for his graphene coating idea.

The contest was judged by Dr. Thomas Nosker of Rutgers University, Tom Jeff of Innovate Mississippi, Dr. Elena Polyakova of Graphene 3D Laboratories, and Mississippi businessman Gilbert Gerard.