A St. Albert engineering technologist has won an Alberta award for his work on a project to bring solar-powered Internet access to developing nations.
The Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) announced Dec. 14 that St. Albert resident Spencer Tracy and his teammates at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology had won this year’s Capstone Project of the Year Award.
Tracy was not available for an interview.
Speaking to The Gazette in November, Tracy explained how he and teammates Jacob Maxwell, Natasha Bergstrom-Baier, Abdallah Farah, and Steven Sager demonstrated how you could combine a portable solar array and battery system with the Starlink satellite network to bring Internet access to remote communities for under $10,000.
In a press release, ASET CEO Barry Cavanaugh said this project is unique in that it involves two different engineering technology fields — alternative energy and wireless systems.
“It is highly portable and easy to deploy in different locations, and has tremendous potential to help people worldwide.”
Other nominees for this year’s award included a robot COVID-19 doorman (coincidentally designed in part by Tracy’s brother, Jarod Tracy), plastic-reinforced concrete, and clip mounts for solar panels.
The award consists of a trophy and bragging rights. Visit www.aset.ab.ca for details.
