Trinity University

The Office of University Communications
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Mar. 22, 2012

Recycling Tires to Stop Disease in its Tracks

Trinity University students invited to prestigious symposium to share global ideas

By Andrea Davis '12

SAN ANTONIO - After learning about disease transmitted by mosquitoes in Brazil, Trinity University students are developing plans to eliminate the pests by getting rid of old tires, helping people and the environment in the process.

Senior Alison Kimura of Eureka, Calif. and juniors Katherine Garrett of Joshua, Texas, and Morgan Fisler of Austin, have been invited to present their solution to disease outbreaks in Rio de Janeiro at the fifth annual Clinton Global Initiative University Symposium. It will take place at George Washington University in Washington D.C. from March 30 to April 1. They will present their project to the symposium to raise awareness of the problem and possibly attract funds to solve it.

They received the invitation after submitting their three-month project that started in Introduction to Global Health, a class co-taught by biology professor Robert Blystone and health care administration associate professor Bill McCaughrin. According to Kimura, the project deals with controlling dengue fever in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro through tire recycling.

"We realized, especially in Rio de Janeiro right now, that (dengue fever) is a big problem, and so that was what drew us directly to Rio de Janeiro, knowing that maybe we could come up with something that could have an impact on the number of people affected by it," said Kimura, a pre-med student and double major in Spanish and international studies.

When asked how tire recycling would help control dengue fever, Garrett, who is double majoring in studio art and biology, explained that tires are a favorite home for disease-transmitting Aedes mosquitoes in Rio de Janeiro. Dengue fever is an inflectional tropical disease with no current cure that can cause a measles-like rash, and in more severe cases, develop into life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever.

"Mosquitoes like to breed in shallow, stagnant water," she said. "We found more and more evidence of these tires just lying around being a really great breeding ground for mosquitoes. So if we can eliminate their tires, then maybe we can reduce the problem."

Their solution consisted of proposing a warehouse in Rio that would act as the recycling center for the tires. The rubber from the stored tires could then be converted into material to be used in the building of soccer fields as well as other beneficial places for the locals. It was this solution they submitted to the Clinton Global Initiative, resulting in their invitation.

They hope to get a lot of information and suggestions from presenting their project to fellow students at the symposium.

"Best case scenario would be to talk to other people, maybe get some networking and even get some funding," said Fisler, a biology major.

Blystone expressed a feeling of pride for the women's accomplishment. "This is a warm and fuzzy," he said. "I'm very proud of them."

The Office of Academic Affairs provided the funding for the team to attend the conference in March. Their other team member, a former Trinity student who now attends Ohio State University, will also join them at the symposium.

For more information on the Clinton Global Initiative, click here.

Text provided by Andrea Davis of Farmington, N.M., a candidate for graduation from Trinity University in May 2012 with a degree in history and English. She is a student worker in the Office of University Communications.