User:Tomas mendix/Carolina Serrano Larrea

Andrea Carolina Serrano Larrea (Cuenca, 1999) is an Ecuadorian scientist specialized in biomedical engineering, being featured in the list “Innovadores menores de 35 Latinoamérica 2020” from MIT Technology Review magazine. She was one of the winners of the 2020 Hult Prize world competition with her project "GelWear", a small model of a biodegradable and environmentally friendly diaper.

Trajectory
Carolina Serrano was born in Cuenca, Azuay province, Ecuador, in 1999. At a young age she was admitted at at the universities Piamonte oriental Amedeo Avogadro (Italy) and Humboldt of Berlín (Germany).

In the Hult Prize world contest, with her project GelWear, a diaper created with sugarcane bagasse, she won 100 thousand dollars of the millon in prize money.

Serrano attended University Yachay Tech and graduated with Cum Laude honors as a biomedical engineer. Currently she resides in Spain, where she is studying the European Master's Degree in Translational Cosmetic and Dermatological Sciences, which has the participation of various international universities. To complete her studies she attends attends the Piemonte Orientale universities in Italy; Miguel Hernández, from Spain; Namur in Belgium; and Humboldt, from Germany.

Project GelWear
The idea for using sugarcane bagasse arose in 2017 while Serrano was studying Biomedicine in Yachay. This is how se created her company GelWear, whose proposal is to make diapers with a gel absorbent membrane, made from vegtable cellulose. Another biomedical scientist and two students from Yachay Tech also participated in the project, including Daniela Serrano, Carolina's sister.

The proposal develops reusable diapers with a completely biodegradable changeable membrane or cover, made from sugarcane waste.

These diapers fulfill the same function as a conventional diaper, do not pollute the environment, reduce the number of units needed per consumer and are more compatible with the baby's skin, Carolina Serrano pointed out.

Currently, the project is in development phase, Serrano said: "We are consolidating GelWear as a company, it is already registered and we are looking for investors to acquire machinery and start the minimum viable production. We hope that with the recognition of the innovators, our project will be more well received by investors.

We have also met with the Secretary of Senescyt, Agustín Albán, to support us and continue developing our project." In this line Serrano indicated that they are looking to work in a branch of investigation in collaboration with young scientists, specially from Yachay Tech, as well as to link indigenous communities in the production of diapers, In this line, Serrano indicated that they seek to work in a branch of research, in collaboration with young scientists, especially from Yachay Tech, as well as to link indigenous communities in the production of diapers, "we want the diaper to be 100% made with Ecuadorian hands, and what better than to look in the sectors of Otavalo and Atuntaqui, where the textile producers are."

Speaking to the media the biomedial engineer has expressed that: "There needs to be a greater effort in Ecuador to develop the area of study known as STEM, which is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics." Furthermore, she indicated that it is important for young people in her country to: "Pursue your dreams, prepare yourselves, but above all persist in your goals, because effort is what guides great successes.".

Goals
The young scientist CEO of GelWear is currently focused on her Master studies in Spain, "Being part of this list and having been selected by one of the most important universities in the world is a very important step, not only for my career, but to demonstrate and make visible that young women in the field of science can generate high-impact research."

Carolina Serranos's project may have an influence on the industry of disposable diapers and avoid the contamination of the environment. A child uses about 2,500 diapers in his life, a diaper takes 500 years to decompose and many counties do not have an adequate waste  managing system, causing diapers to create a public health problem. With the ecological diapers designed by Carolina, this problem would be avoided, because it is a product that has a completely biodegradable changeable membrane, as it is made from sugarcane waste.

Awards
Her project called GelWear was one of the 30 finalists in the Hult Prize contest of 2020, a prize for bachelor projects headed by Bill Clinton, that has as a first price 1 million dollars as seed capital

External sources

 * Google Scholar: Carolina Serrano-Larrea