When big problems seem insurmountable, young minds often bring a fresh approach to viable solutions.
NIU’s inaugural Huskie Hack event proved this point when it challenged students to come up with practical plans to improve food sustainability and the future of food resources.
In November, the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships hosted this free student competition, inviting Huskie students, as well as students from other area Universities and colleges, to tackle one of three issues surrounding our food systems—reduction of food waste, regionalization of the food system, and human diversity in our agricultural system.
Fifteen teams participated in the two-day event, with students from NIU, College of DuPage, Lake Forest College, Loyola University and City Colleges of Chicago taking part in the competition. Each team chose the food sustainability issue its members wanted to solve and continued to work overnight, with online presentations due to a panel of judges the next morning.
The event also brought in speakers, such as Marc Zones, co-founder and CEO of Winnow, which is the number one food-waste solution worldwide; Jeneen Fields, clinical assistant professor of botany and plant pathology from Purdue University; and Raghela Scavuzzo, associate director of food systems at the Illinois Farm Bureau. In addition, Keynote Speaker Riana Lynn, a leader in food innovation, technology and venture strategy, having developed high-growth, nationally recognized technology and food businesses was scheduled.
Bryan Flower, associate director of Food Systems Innovation at NIU, initiated and coordinated the massive event, which was held in the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom.
Flower and a colleague within the DeKalb Area Agricultural Heritage Association, Mark Stelford, first began to discuss the possibilities for a similar food system-based event over a year ago.
“Mark had seen an agricultural tech hack-a-thon, and he knew our team was working to engage students in food sustainability. He said, ‘Is this something we can do?’” Flower said. “From there, the goal was to attract students from all disciplines to join in a societal hack to propose real solutions to these issues. We welcomed artists, makers, developers, project managers, historians, scientists and others with unique skill sets. Everyone worked together to create and present innovative solutions.”
Students were drawn to the competition by the prospect of helping others, as well as the possibility of winning cash prizes. After all teams submitted their completed solutions, eight teams were chosen as finalists. From there, the teams gave in-person presentations about their projects, with one winner chosen for each of the three issues. These teams each split $1,000 among all team members. The grand prize winner of the entire event split $1,000 among the team, and each team member also received an additional $500.
Maria Reyna, an NIU communication student, joined the event with friends, forming Team 7, which was named one of the eight finalist teams. Together with fellow students Luke Ali, Christopher Montejo and Maricarmen Paniagua, Reyna took on the issue of food waste reduction. The team designed a high-end senior-citizen real estate project that would provide residents groceries from the building’s vertical farms. These buildings would be best suited for urban areas.
“We proposed a three-step system, including a hydroponic farm and an aeroponic farm within the building, as well as a soil-based farm on the building’s roof,” Reyna said. “This fresh food would be an amenity that would also help reduce food waste within the community. Unused food would be sent to local restaurants and food pantries.”
Team 15 came away with the Huskie Hack grand prize for their plan to provide a food assistance program where school-aged children and their families opt in to receive meal kits that are distributed at schools. These meal kits would have at least 75% of their ingredients from localized farmers, and to help address food insecurity, they would give families an easier way to provide dinner for their families.
Team 15 member Kobe Baumgartner, who is an NIU senior studying nutrition, dietetics and wellness, said the competition caught his attention when the subject was brought up in class. Nancy Prange, an NIU College of Health and Human Sciences instructor, and Flower came to his nutrition class and raised awareness for the event.
“Not only did I find the subjects of the problem statements interesting, but Nancy said something that resonated with me. She said, ‘As professionals in this field, we have to be a part of the solution to these problems.’ This is what motivated me to join the competition,” Baumgartner said.
Baumgartner’s teammate, Emily Flynn, a senior who is studying nutrition, believes that their winning idea can make a true difference to families and communities who struggle with food waste and localized food sources.
“I am hoping our idea will start locally and grow to feed families healthy, nutritionally rich meals in underprivileged areas across the U.S.,” Flynn said.
“If our idea were to go further, I think it could be successful,” Baumgartner said. “We know from companies like HelloFresh that these kinds of ideas do work, and consumers like them. This product could help improve local agriculture and economy, decrease food insecurity, and mitigate the negative effects of climate change. These are all issues that we desperately need to address and try to solve.”
Students were not the only ones who benefitted from the Huskie Hack event. University faculty who attended the event could not help but be inspired by the innovative energy flowing in the ballroom.
“The 2022 NIU Huskie Hack for food sustainability was an exhilarating example of how great ideas emerge when students from different disciplines work together to address a challenge,” said Nick Karonis, Chair of NIU’s Department of Computer Science.
“There are many topics that do not require the attention or effort of many, but food sustainability is NOT one of them,” said Biagio Palese, assistant professor in the Department of Operations Management and Information Sciences. “We need young and brilliant minds to reflect on these topics and brainstorm of possible solutions NOW and not when there will be serious emergencies. It was so inspirational to mentor groups of college kids and see that at least some of them take this topic at heart and are already working to make the world a better place.”
Guest judges and mentors, like Greg Stopka, senior director of innovation at Northern Illinois Food Bank, were also bolstered by the impressive event.
“I felt the participants’ passion and energy and left excited to return to the Northern Illinois Food Bank to discuss the amazing opportunities I heard,” Stopka said. “I look forward to being a part of future hacks to network with potential collaborators and learn about ideas that could impact the charitable food network.”
While the initial event was a success, Flower is adamant that this is only the beginning. He looks forward to planning another event for next fall. He will also be working to help champion the winning ideas and partnering with local organizations to make their plans a reality.
“Whether through another entity or through the Office of Innovation, our hope is to try to nurture and matriculate projects to be realized in the real world,” Flower said. “It doesn’t just die here.”
