Markham high school among top finalists in national STEM contest with innovative environmental solution
St. Augustine Catholic High School in Markham has earned a top-five finalist spot in Samsung Canada's Solve for Tomorrow contest, a competition where schools across Canada are invited to use STEM to address sustainability challenges in their communities.
The school was chosen for its innovative approach to making airline operations more sustainable, an idea proposed by student Lucas Orfanides. His concept aims to calculate when it's economically viable for airlines to divert aircraft to different routes or switch fuel types to avoid creating contrails.
Contrails, those white trails left behind by airplanes, might seem harmless, but according to Orfanides, they actually pose a significant environmental risk as they reflect heat back into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
“This is particularly concerning because, while contrails elevate global surface temperatures, they have an even more significant effect on the immediate local surface temperatures where they form,” said Orfanides in his project summary.
To address this issue, Orfanides designed an integrated model which takes into account both the type of jet fuel used by the plane and the weather conditions along its route. The model suggests slight adjustments to a plane's flight path, like flying a few kilometres off the usual route or lowering altitude, to avoid contrail formation.
What sets Orfanides' idea apart is that it’s entirely based on Canadian-specific data, which allows for more accurate predictions of contrail formation based on Canada's unique meteorological conditions and the jet fuel available at its airports.
The idea also includes an economic component, allowing airlines to earn carbon credits through a “carbon market” by reducing their contrails. This market rewards companies for environmentally friendly actions and addresses the economic challenge of encouraging airlines to change their practices.
Orfanides also highlights the importance of Samsung's technology in tracking contrails and managing the large amounts of data required for the project.
“Samsung's role is pivotal, with the idea's overall connection stemming from its core, ranging from the environmental science behind contrails themselves to the STEM component of the mathematics behind a financial carbon market,” he said.
Principal James Cocchetto expressed pride in Orfanides’ work, noting it reflects the spirit of inquiry and problem-solving the school seeks to instil in its students.
“His project will serve as an inspiration to students in the interdisciplinary STREAM Focus program,” Cocchetto said.
As a finalist, St. Augustine CHS has received $5,000 to support STEM education with Samsung technology. If the school wins the final round of judging in May, it will receive the grand prize of $50,000 and the title “The School for Tomorrow.”
Scarlett Liu, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Markham Economist & Sun
