A team of chemical engineering students from Batangas State University (BatStateU) won second place at the World Engineering Day (WED) Hackathon 2025 in Paris, hosted by UNESCO and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO).
The team, ECO BEADa froam BatStateU Alangilan, presented a solution to address water contamination and soil depletion in Filipino farming communities.
Their project utilizes phosphate-absorbing beads made from eelgrass biochar and kaolinite clay to purify wastewater and create eco-friendly fertilizers.
The team, led by mentor associate professor Rhonalyn Maulion and comprising students Trixie Mae Parañaque, Abraham Quintia Jr., Krishna Laida Sadsad and Charisse May Castillo, competed against over 3,000 participants from more than 90 countries.
Their project, supported by BatStateU’s Center for Innovation in Engineering Education (CIEE), aims to provide a cost-effective and scalable solution to water contamination, with a treatment cost of P750 per 25 kg of biochar fertilizer, compared to up to P1,730 for synthetic fertilizers.
“Our success at the WED Hackathon 2025 is a proud moment for BatStateU and for the Philippines,” said BatStateU president Dr. Tirso Ronquillo.
The project aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12, 13 and 15, focusing on responsible consumption and production, climate action, and life on land. The team also incorporated farmer education programs.
The WED Hackathon 2025, themed “Shaping Our Sustainable Future Through Engineering,” saw ManufacturingBox from the University of Twente, Netherlands, win first place, and Team Torpedo from the University of Hertfordshire/PSB Academy take third.
AgriConnect, a collaboration between Ghana and France, won the People’s Choice Award.
The ECO BEADa team received a €2,000 ($2,175) prize.
BatStateU, recognized as the Philippines’ largest engineering university, has over 120 years of engineering education history. It is the first state university with engineering programs accredited by the Philippine Technological Council and the only state university with engineering and computing programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
