REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS. REAL-WORLD RESULTS. UIndy Helps Bring Water to Africa
LEFT TO RIGHT: Class of 2026 classmates Shealana Booker, August Abrahamsen, Mitchell Blazek and Braden Gress.
Engineering students with the R.B. Annis School of Engineering are making a major impact for families and villages in sub- Saharan Africa. It’s a powerful example of how Greyhounds are using their classroom learning to solve real-world problems— not just on campus or the southside of Indianapolis, but all over the globe. The project was a collaboration with the Indianapolis-based Institute for Affordable Transportation (IAT). The challenge? How to transform the rotational energy from
the IAT’s Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) into something capable of powering a water pump. A group of 2026 students—Braden Gress, Shealana Booker, Mitchell Blazek and August Abrahamsen—advised by Assistant Professor of Engineering Dr. Eliot Motato developed last year a power take-off system, or PTO, that is capable of pumping thousands of gallons of water an hour in remote regions. Even better, the design is flexible enough to help automate a wide
range of farming tasks which are often done by hand. “This is a huge benefit to the families we partner with,” said Will Austin, IAT Executive Director. “About 35 percent of the crops grown in Africa never make it to market because they rot in the fields or along the roadside due to a variety of issues, including lack of transport. The PTO designed by UIndy will help farmers make more money, give them more time with their family, and will collectively help Africa grow.”
28
UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker