VOICES Bi-Monthly Magazine of the University of Technology, Jamaica | April – June 2022 8 FENC Students Receive Productivity Innovation Award 2022 Collaboration with USF for ICT Lecture and Workshop (l-R) Mr. Hugh Cargill , Lecturer, School of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Computing (FENC) Robin-Gayle Robinson- Industrial Engineering Student, Mrs Tamar Nelson- Chief Technical Director, Jamaica Productivity Centre and Andre Humber- Industrial Engineering Student at the Productivity Innovation Award 2022 ceremony on June 20, 2022. Professor Sean Thorpe, Head, School of Computing and Information and Technology (SCIT), who chaired the opening ceremony welcomes the capacity audience of ICT industry professionals, educators and students to the Inaugural Universal Service Fund (USF) Information Communication Technology (ICT) Lecture and Workshop hosted jointly with University of Technology, Jamaica on May 17, 2022 at the Shared Facilities Building, Papine Campus. A team from the Faculty of Engineering and Computing (FENC), UTech, Jamaica received the 2022 Productivity Innovation Award for their project on the development of a Biodegradable Single Use Mask using Natural Fibers. The announcement was made during the Annual Productivity Forum and Awards Ceremony put on by Jamaica Productivity Centre (JPC), an arm of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on June 20, 2022. The team comprised of four industrial engineering students: Christoph Thompson, Robin-Gayle Robinson, Curtley McFarlane, Andre Humber and their supervisor, Mr. Hugh Cargil, School of Engineering. The project sought to address a global problem referred to by Science Insider as a growing mountain of waste and a toxic bomb where the world is throwing away three million non-biodegradable face masks every minute. The students were able to design a biodegradable single-use mask and outline the process by which they can be produced locally. They then went on to test the process stability and capability using Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques and then optimized the filtration properties of the mask through a full factorial Design of Experiment (DOE). Students received individual trophies and a cash prize of $50,000 each. The Universal Service Fund (USF) collaborated with University of Technology, Jamaica through the School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT), for the hosting of its Inaugural Information Communication Technology (ICT) Lecture and Workshop held on May 17, 2022 at the University’s Shared Facilities Building, Papine Campus. Themed “Broadening Access through the Use of Technology,” the occasion formed part of a series of events celebrating the USF’s 17th anniversary and brought together ICT professionals and experts in the field Cont’d on page 9
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