Imperial students create low-cost technology solutions to build better world

Five teams of undergraduate students have had the opportunity to develop impactful new technologies in Imperial labs this summer. The Faculty of Natural Sciences' Make A Difference (FoNS-MAD) competition, which is open to all undergraduate students from across the College, gives students the resources to develop low-cost technologies that will have a positive impact on society. The finalists for this year's competition have taken part in an 8-week funded lab placement over the summer months, where they received the opportunity to develop their ideas to the proof-of-concept stage - the point at which an idea is demonstrated to be feasible. This year's shortlist includes ideas ranging from a new way of making SPF moisturisers to efforts to prevent crops being destroyed by fungal pathogens. The teams will submit a detailed summary of their findings and give a presentation on their projects to a VIP panel of experts at the final event on 26 October, where the winners will receive a prize worth £7000. If you'd like to attend the event, which is open to all, you can register a place here. Read more about this year's finalists below: Detecting food toxins.