Seven questions with UCell

This week we put seven questions to Anna Ploszajski, Vidal Bharath and Erik Engebretsen - the UCell team from UCL Chemical Engineering and UCL Physics.

Team: UCell

Department: UCL Chemical Engineering and UCL Physics

Members of team: Anna Ploszajski, Vidal Bharath, Erik Engebretsen and more.

Tell us more about your project.

Erik: UCell is a team of PhD students, lecturers and industrial partners based in the UCL Electrochemical Innovation Lab (EIL) working on electricity production from hydrogen. 

We aim to bring future energy technologies into the present day by actively powering events around the country with our portable 3 kW fuel cell stack. UCell is dedicated to engaging with the public; providing a unique opportunity for people to see and touch technologies that will play a vital part in near-future energy production.

What makes it so important (and interesting)?

Anna: Most of the team works on projects related to hydrogen technologies. From our public engagement work, we've realised that the public perception of these technologies, and therefore our work, is somewhat hostile. It's therefore important for both parties - us as the researchers, as well as the public - to make clear the facts about the true dangers of hydrogen, to guarantee the success of our research down the line, and to broaden the horizons of the general public.

Vidal: Moreover, UCell allows us as engineers to engage with non-scientific members of the public, as it opens a dialogue about what the future may hold for emerging technology and subsequent energy security.

What has been a personal highlight so far?

Vidal: Inspiring a group of 12-year-olds at Teen Tech City, an event designed to get more students into STEM subjects, to invent a hydrogen fuel cell phone charger in their mini-design project. The kids chose to ignore some of the corporate heavy weights' pitches, such as Samsung, and instead apply what they learned from UCell.

Anna: For me, it was attending Glastonbury. Listening to Dolly Parton singing '9 to 5' while chatting to the be-wellied public about hydrogen when I should have been in the lab was deliciously ironic.

Erik: The surprised smile that comes across people's faces whenever they discover that we're powering a stage, mobile phone charging unit, or other large electrical unit with clean electricity from hydrogen. They often don't realise how developed the technology already is!

Explain some of the challenges involved in working on the project.

Anna: Coordinating a large team in a setting like a music festival can be challenging.

Erik: Agreed. The team continues to grow and we continue to take on more events, which can become managerially tricky when you're dealing with volunteers.

Vidal: The main issue I find is time. I think because I genuinely love doing UCell-related work, I often find myself behind on other aspects of my life - my wash basket seems to always be full.

What advice would you give to other students at UCL?

Vidal: Do something different - don't just go through the system. UCL is happy to help facilitate outreach projects, whether that is giving advice and time or even helping to fund your project.

Anna: Don't be afraid to ask. I'm not part of the EIL so perhaps technically shouldn't be in UCell, but, having been introduced to the team, I identified my niche and managed to convince them that they needed me on board!

What are your future plans for the project and beyond?

Erik: UCell is a continuously improving public engagement team and our new Perspex case is a testament of our commitment to improving the public's understanding of the technology. In the short term, we hope to increase our number of events to around 12 per year. In the long term, we'd love to find funding for an electrolyser to produce clean hydrogen and provide even more interactive, educational activities.

Describe your perfect evening (or weekend) after a long week.

Anna: Swimming outdoors, picnics in the sun, going to a concert, playing a gig, walks in the country, eating.

Erik: Any competitive sport or excuse to get together with friends. I cherish the time I have for cooking on the weekends, although I'm often usurped when in the kitchen by more competent chefs.

Vidal: I like playing a spot of cricket on a Saturday followed by a few pints with the team - I really like team activities it seems. Sundays I mainly chill - pop to the market and often miserably fail at actually getting my roast in the oven.