A team of AUC students has clinched the top spot in a global competition featuring 65 university teams from around the world. Tasked with developing a sustainable alternative to traditional fats and oils, the AUC team successfully created a unicellular microorganism oil prototype boasting a zero carbon footprint. The achievement underscores AUC’s commitment to fostering innovation and addressing pressing environmental challenges.
Led by Yasmin Maghraby ‘03, ‘13, ‘21, an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, the AUC team comprised graduate students Lereen Khaled, Dalia Kanna, Saif El Din Mofty, and Louai Hariri. The competition, initiated by Savola during the World Food Forum event, aimed to catalyze sustainable transformations in agrifood systems.
“I’m so passionate about any research that helps alleviate climate change,” expressed Maghraby. “At first, I thought our idea would be impossible to produce, so seeing it become a reality was so satisfying and gratifying.”
The AUC team’s groundbreaking prototype offers a sustainable alternative to traditional cooking fats and oils, known for their environmentally detrimental production processes. The winning solution not only aligns with sustainability goals but also maintains functional properties, requiring reduced quantities of water and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
Apart from the academic triumph, the competition provided a unique networking experience for the student participants. Lereen Khaled shared, “This life-changing experience enriched my ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team and allowed me to engage with experts from Savola, FAO, and fellow participants from different countries who share my passion for sustainability, which expanded my professional network and exposed me to different ideas and perspectives.”
Tamer Shoeib, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry, emphasized the significance of this achievement, stating, “This shows clearly our commitment to excellence and the caliber of our students who are able to tackle problems of relevance and create highly impactful solutions to unmet, real-world needs. I am incredibly proud of our AUC team.”
The success of the AUC team in the Savola competition underscores the university’s dedication to nurturing a culture of innovation, pushing boundaries for a more sustainable and ecologically responsible future.
