About News Batten’s Bala Mulloth Awarded $100,000 to Empower Students to Solve Global Problems in Air Pollution Feb 18, 2020 Erin Tor Batten’s Bala Mulloth Awarded $100,000 to Empower Students to Solve Global Problems in Air Pollution Bala Mulloth, left, and Gaurav Giri are the co-founders of Hava, Inc. (Photo by Dan Addison, University Communications)Batten Professor Bala Mulloth and UVA Engineering Professor Gaurav Giri have been awarded $100,000 for their work to mobilize students to learn about and help address the global air pollution crisis. Their project is one of 14 to be selected this year for funding by the Jefferson Trust, an initiative of the University of Virginia Alumni Association. Mulloth and Giri are the co-founders of Hava, Inc., a global startup that aims to create affordable air filtration products to make life in polluted cities healthier for all residents. “We’re honored and grateful to the Jefferson Trust for their support, which will help us take Hava’s proprietary technology forward in socially conscious ways,” said Mulloth. “The support will help us create a platform for engaged students to take ownership of the air pollution problem in ways that reflect collective problem solving and universal solutions.” In October 2018, the World Health Organization officially labeled air pollution “a silent public health emergency.” Through Mulloth and Giri’s initiative, students from across Grounds will gain familiarity with the air pollution crisis and the most recent air filtration technologies, and will partner with stakeholders worldwide to study the impact of those technologies. The initiative is specifically geared toward entrepreneurially-minded students who are interested in working with faculty to bring emerging research and new air filtration technologies to market. By encouraging an active approach to learning and engagement with multiple stakeholders, Mulloth and Giri hope students will develop practical, hands-on experience in addition to competencies in critical and creative thinking. “The goal is to take the raw material of our innovation and contribute to broad human progress,” said Mulloth. “Working with local governments, citizens, and the private sector, we hope to be able to not only provide a technology-driven solution but also address the root causes of air pollution by conducting workshops in partnership with local environmental advocacy groups with the aim of creating systemic changes and providing policy recommendations.” Established in 2006, the Jefferson Trust is an unrestricted endowment that distributes funds annually through a University-wide grant program. The trust’s mission is to support initiatives that enhance teaching, scholarship and research, allow faculty and students to work closely together while engaging in hands-on learning, and enable the University community to make an impact on other communities locally, nationally and globally. More details on the project can be found on the Jefferson Trust website. Bala Mulloth Bala is a globally oriented educator and entrepreneur who has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and North America. Read full bio Related Content Bala Mulloth New Case - Culinary Concepts AB and the Employment Crisis in Food and Beverage in Charlottesville Research Antwon Brinson believes in the power of culinary arts to bring about systemic social change. This case study addresses how Antwon’s social venture, Culinary Concepts AB (CCAB), approached the employment crisis felt throughout the food and beverage industry, by teaching life skills through culinary arts. New Case - ReadWrite Digital: Improving Student Outcomes Through Educational Innovation Research ReadWrite Digital is an education technology startup that offers software to K–12 schools in the United States to provide education analytics and personalized education planning. Founded in 2012 by Rob Simms, the current President and CTO, ReadWrite Digital built, developed, and launched two unique products, Integrator and Analytics, providing an end-to-end solution for data collection from disparate systems creating rich analytics for student performance in one place. Designers and researchers join forces to imagine the home of the future News Batten’s Bala Mulloth and chemical engineering professor Gaurav Giri, co-founders of Hava Inc., are one of nine design teams commissioned to provide the public with a glimpse into the future of home furnishings and objects for a show titled Hybrid at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia. Batten’s Bala Mulloth Receives COVID-19 Social Entrepreneurship Grant News A team of faculty that includes Batten professor Bala Mulloth have been awarded $110,000 for their proposal titled “Technology Driven Entrepreneurial Solutions to Address Healthcare Worker Protection Needs.” Stay Up To Date with the Latest Batten News and Events Subscribe
Bala Mulloth Bala is a globally oriented educator and entrepreneur who has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and North America. Read full bio
New Case - Culinary Concepts AB and the Employment Crisis in Food and Beverage in Charlottesville Research Antwon Brinson believes in the power of culinary arts to bring about systemic social change. This case study addresses how Antwon’s social venture, Culinary Concepts AB (CCAB), approached the employment crisis felt throughout the food and beverage industry, by teaching life skills through culinary arts.
New Case - ReadWrite Digital: Improving Student Outcomes Through Educational Innovation Research ReadWrite Digital is an education technology startup that offers software to K–12 schools in the United States to provide education analytics and personalized education planning. Founded in 2012 by Rob Simms, the current President and CTO, ReadWrite Digital built, developed, and launched two unique products, Integrator and Analytics, providing an end-to-end solution for data collection from disparate systems creating rich analytics for student performance in one place.
Designers and researchers join forces to imagine the home of the future News Batten’s Bala Mulloth and chemical engineering professor Gaurav Giri, co-founders of Hava Inc., are one of nine design teams commissioned to provide the public with a glimpse into the future of home furnishings and objects for a show titled Hybrid at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.
Batten’s Bala Mulloth Receives COVID-19 Social Entrepreneurship Grant News A team of faculty that includes Batten professor Bala Mulloth have been awarded $110,000 for their proposal titled “Technology Driven Entrepreneurial Solutions to Address Healthcare Worker Protection Needs.”