Volunteers Team Up with Students to Take on Climate Change
With global volunteer month nearing its conclusion — and Earth Day just around the corner — Otis has announced the winners of its Made to Move Communities™ student challenge. The program pairs Otis volunteers from various disciplines with students across the world to provide early exposure to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts, helping the students thrive and offering solutions to relevant issues.
This year, more than 180 Otis volunteers teamed up with more than 230 students to develop mobility solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change.
This year, more than 180 Otis volunteers teamed up with more than 230 students to develop mobility solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change. Four winning schools earned grants, including China Jiliang University in Hangzhou, China. With the help of mentor Kelvin Z., a talent acquisition manager for Otis China, the Flying Dragon Team devised a contactless transit that repurposes wasted energy for improved efficiency. Kelvin recalls the group’s first brainstorming session:
“The students had just returned to the dorm after studying late and immediately got into the online discussion. All of us put forward our creative ideas and analyzed them in terms of their relevance, innovativeness and potential.”
Other winning concepts include a composite roofing shingle that helps reduce temperatures and lower energy consumption and cost for homeowners from Wilson High School in Florence, South Carolina, U.S., and a website that shows real-time flood data to help drivers avoid dangerous and/or impassable areas from Kamnoetvidya Science Academy, Wangchan District, Thailand. NovĂ˝ PORG, Prague, Czech Republic, proposed an app that enables users to select the best mode of transportation and route to a destination to minimize carbon emissions.
Otis says Made to Move Communities is the cornerstone of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, as it focuses on two vital issues: STEM education and inclusive mobility. The company believes new technologies have the potential to address accessibility challenges and provide inclusive solutions. The program seeks to close the STEM skills gap, complementing existing school curriculum and preparing students for success in a rapidly evolving workplace
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