About Us
Founded in Fall 2024, CSalt is a registered student organization at Cornell University, working under the guidance of Professor Maha Haji, and her Ph.D. students in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Our team is developing a wave-powered desalination system, with plans to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC) held every May in Portland, Oregon.
What is the MECC?
The MECC is hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy every May in Portland, OR.
The competition is split into four required contests:
1. Business Plan Challenge
Identify a promising market within the blue economy and determine, within that market, the best marine energy application to address.
2. Technical Design Challenge
Evaluate the performance requirements in our chosen blue economy market by identifying and interviewing at least three potential end users. Complete a detailed design of a marine-energy-powered device to serve those end users.
3. Build & Test Challenge
Build a scaled prototype of our concept and perform a series of lab tests.
4. Community Connections Challenge
Foster connections with the broader marine energy industry and the local community.
Our Values
Sustainability
We believe clean water should be accessible to all, yet pollution and costly extraction often create barriers. Our student-led team is developing a wave-powered desalination system to make water extraction more sustainable and affordable.
Innovation
We embrace creative problem-solving and cutting-edge technology to design a scalable solution for global water scarcity, constantly seeking new ways to improve and challenge conventional methods.
Community
We aim to educate the Cornell and Ithaca communities about sustainability and water access challenges, empowering individuals to make a positive impact through outreach and collaboration.