Top honor in USC Wrigley Sustainability Prize awarded to team planning to reduce carbon emissions

With its business plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by improving biodiesel and biodegradable plastic through processes developed at USC Dornsife’s Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, Catapower was recently named winner of the second annual USC Wrigley Sustainability Prize.

USC Dornsife postdoctoral scholar Zhiyao Lu, one of the fledgling company’s founders, wowed the judges with his presentation, beating six other finalists vying for the $7,000 prize and the endorsement conferred by the coveted award.

The USC Wrigley Sustainability Prize was created by USC Dornsife’s Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies to inspire and support the development of entrepreneurial businesses focused on improving the environment. Entrants this year included students and graduate students from USC Viterbi School of Engineering and USC Marshall School of Business, in addition to USC Dornsife. The competition is open to the entire USC community.