NUST students display innovative solutions at ZITF

The National University of Science and Technology (NUST) is promoting inclusion of young women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields through displaying and exhibiting innovations by female students.

The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair kicked off on Monday with exhibitors from across the country displaying their products and services at the annual fair under the theme “Rethink, Reimagine and Reinvent Education 5.0 for Economic Development.”

In an interview with the Director for Communication and Marketing at NUST, Thabani Mpofu, he highlighted that women in stem are an important asset in the institution.

“We decided to exhibit products developed and innovated by women in STEM. One of the students is producing biodegradable plastic from potato peels and this will help in solving a lot of environmental problems. This plastic decomposes and is friendly to the environment and it is not a threat to animals,” said Mpofu.

Mpofu highlighted that the university facilitates for students to participate in the innovators’ forum as a way of motivating them and this exposure helps them so that they are not intimidated.

In an interview with Nontuthuzelo Ncube, a Tutorial Assistant in the Chemical Engineering Department a who is producing biodegradable plastic from potato peels, she highlighted that the production pf bioplastics is important for reducing environmental hazards.

“Common plastics are a threat to the environment and animals but this specific plastic is biodegradable and not harmful to livestock as it decomposes at a faster rate. This type of plastic is good for the environment as it reduces greenhouse gases thus resulting in reduced carbon footprint. They are also good with waste management,” she said.

In an interview with Tamara Sumani an electronic engineering student, who came up with a project called smart homes a security system that connects with water and provides a heating system for homes in the city and rural areas, highlighted that the home security system uses sensors and has a potential for using facial recognition and when scaled, the innovation will benefit many homes.