Our grand challenge to solve was the problem of reducing plastic waste. Through thorough research, we have decided to focus our solution on the fungus, Aspergillus tubingensis, and its decomposing properties. This fungus has been found to break down the molecular bonds in plastic materials, speeding up/aiding in the decomposition process. We have used the programming language C# and the game developing platform, Unity creating this virtual simulation, which allows college students and professors to experiment with altering the variables and see which alterations result in the fastest and most effective degradation rate of the fungus and plastic waste. We decided to take this kind of approach because of our combined backgrounds in Computer Science, engineering, and game development.

Full Poster: Reducing Plastic Waste