Five Climate Challenges

Yesterday, the University of Palermo hosted a special day entitled A Passion for Steam, resolutely pursued by Beatrice Pasciuta, Deputy Rector for Inclusion, Equal Opportunities, and Gender Policy. Five hackathons were held in parallel in as many departments to address a common challenge on “one of today’s most debated and heartfelt issues by today’s students who look to climate change and its consequences on our everyday lives” [see news: Penta-hackathon in Palermo].

Here are the results:

CODING WITH ARDUINO

• Most Innovative Project: Nan
  Thermometer alarm: temperature and humidity sensors provide an acoustic alarm and indications on the display in case of high temperatures and/or humidity. 
  Chiara Grazia Barranti, Elena Pellegrino, Alexandra Galati, Simone Buzzanca, Chiara Bagnasco, and Federico Bonanno (IIS Giovanni Meli)
• Project with the Greatest Social Impact: Coding for the Environment 
  Thermometer for All: on reaching 25, 30, and 40 degrees Celsius an acoustic alarm will sound, including advice on how to face the heat and contrast global warming. 
  Alessia Macaluso, Azzurra Cannizzo, Alessandro Pellerito, Davide Provenzano, Marco Provenzano, Gloria Belfiore, Adam Nobile (Liceo Felicia and Peppino Impastato )
• Most Inclusive Project: Climate Guardians  
  Climate change and technology: our project uses what was available at school in an innovative manner. An alarm system that powers robots to provide hot/cold air to make the classrooms more comfortable.    
  Alessia Favara, Martina Zito, Beatrice Cosentino, Veronica Caruso, Martina La Franca, Chiara Cangialosi, Roberta Lucca (Class 3D Liceo scientifico Felicia e Peppino Impastato)

CODING WITH PYTHON

• Best Presentation: Ars Ludi
  Interactive game for a green world. 
  Marta Musso, Laura Lo Iacono, Davide Tartaglione, Emanuele Ferrante (Class 3E, Liceo Galileo Galilei) 
• Most Creative Project: Sisterhood of Steel  
  The past choices of mankind have led to the destruction of Planet Earth. A test is created to see who will be allowed onto the next planet. The project was developed in Python with Google Colab.
  Cristiano Mancuso, Valentina Granata, Alexander Bentivegna, Calogero Daniele Zito (Class 4L, Liceo Galileo Galilei)
• Most Innovative Project: Galliton 
  On Python and Sustainability 
  Lavinia Pellegrino, Flavio De Luca, Daniele Catalano, Dario Cottone (Class 3E, Liceo Galileo Galilei)

PARADOXES IN STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY

• Best Analysis: Random Phenomena 
  Presentation on CO2 emissions forecasts in 2050
  Luca Grammatico, Dario Di Pieri, Sofia Bazan, Gioele Pinto, and Ivan Greco (Liceo S. Cannizzaro)
• Best Presentation: Iron Mike
  Forecasting the variation in ocean surface temperature in 2050 based on previous data.     
  Ignazio Lo Cricchio, Matti Li Pira, Giulio Rosario Troia, Antonio Di Maggio, Gabriele Blatta (IIS Majorana, Palermo)
• Best Graphic Presentation: Braian
  Ocean surface temperature: a project on the variation of  ocean surface temperatures 
  Jacopo Gravagno, Davide Di Maria, Sarah Tripiciano, Sara La Bua (Liceo Cannizzaro)

SECURE COMMUNICATIONS

• Innovation Award and Special Mention for Presentation: Team Croce
  Cryptographic analysis for tourism and hotels, Female team leader.
  Sofia Ferdico, Elvira Ferdico, Desirée Zuccaro, Michele Costanza (Class 4O, Liceo Benedetto Croce)
• Project with the Greatest Social Impact: The Coders
  Hospital applications: developing a programme that after having measured the environmental temperature transmits the data securely.      
  (Class 3A, Liceo Felicia e Peppino Impastato)
• Most Inclusive Project: Haters of C++ 
  Applying data to Agriculture and Greenhouses. Control and cryptography of temperature data. Code-based control of temperature and cryptographic transmission of data to server.       
  (Class 3A, Liceo Felicia e Peppino Impastato)

DEVELOPING AN APP WITH CODE.ORG

• Most Innovative Project: Save the Green 
  Environmental Footprint: Our environmental footprint depends on our use of resources. Recycling allows us to reduce our footprint and damage to the environment. The project has developed a game that aims to raise awareness on the importance of recycling and our impact on the environment. Giorgia Sinagra, Gianluca Arcoleo, Giuseppe Pappalardo, Flavio Ferrara, Michele Ciobano (Liceo Scientifico statale Stanislao Cannizzaro)
• Most Inclusive Project: Sparacino 
  Eco’s Journey: a short interactive storytelling presentation on Eco’s journey and the choices that have to be made. 
  Nicole Sparacino (1ª N), Andrea Domina (1ª N), Salvatore Lo Cicero (1ª N), Favata Myriam (1ª N), Davide Seminara (4ª BSA), Riccardo Lo Re (4ª BSA) (IIS Cannizzaro – Basile)
• Project with the Greatest Social Impact: The Environmentalists 
  Environmental Quiz to verify your knowledge of the environment. Bianca Gargano e Aurora Sicignano (Class 1N, IIS Cannizzaro – Basile)

METAVERSE FOR CHEMISTRY

• Best Communications: s.e.m.e
  Packaging for the Future: Presentation and 3D visualization of bietic acid. Description of characteristics and applications in terms of environmental impact and eco-sustainability, especially in terms of packaging.    
  Giulia Annamaria Billante, Sophia Cinquemani, Federica D’Asaro, Andrea La Franca, Flavia Lo Biundo (Liceo Felicia e Peppino Impastato).
• Most Innovative Project: Green Cream 
  Developing a cosmetic product: using ethyl lactate to produce our product: green cream.
  Nadia Enea, Francesca Mansueto, Chiara Alaimo, Roberta Salamone, Giorgia Giglio (Class 5B, Istituto Ettore Majorana)
• Most Efficient Project: Le limoncelle 
  The Happiness Molecule: Our project addresses the functions of the limonene molecule and its properties, including a description of the molecule and its chemical properties.
  Marta Griglié (4ª V), Giusy Mutolo (4ª V), Claudia Sirchia (4ª V), Francesca Di Miceli (4ª V), Chiara Erbolino (5ª T), Greta Caggegi (4ª T), IIS Ettore Majorana