Researchers at the New York State Center of Excellence in Advanced and Sustainable Manufacturing (COE-ASM) at Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) are helping advance a lab-born breakthrough into viable climate technology. Project lead and GIS mechanical engineer Catherine Swail is leading efforts to scale a method that captures carbon dioxide and locks it into rock-like materials using industrial waste. The sequestration process was developed and patented at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and licensed to Carbon To Stone for scale-up deployments. Their researchers developed a method to accelerate a naturally occurring mineralization process using a reusable, low-energy solvent system. The process starts with gaseous industrial waste streams that are introduced to a chemical solution, which is mixed with byproducts of heavy industry, such as steel slag or cement kiln dust. These elements react in a slurry to form a solid carbonate that is filtered, separating the solvent for reuse from the solid “mineralized material.” This sustainable material can be used in cement or concrete production, thereby permanently locking away the captured carbon dioxide. The potential is two-fold for industry partners, as they can utilize their waste resources to help meet emission regulations and generate carbon capture credits as well as revenue through the sale of the mineralized products. Successful laboratory demonstration of this crystallization technology prompted the founders of Carbon To Stone to form the startup in 2022, with the goal of scaling the process for real-world industrial impact. That’s where COE-ASM comes in. Swail and a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians have spent the last nine months designing and building a mobile prototype system. The goal is to capture tons of carbon dioxide per year from an industrial waste stream, a step toward commercial use. “It’s not as simple as just doubling everything,” Swail said about bringing the system to scale. “The goal is to stagger the timing of the reactions between the two reactors by adding semi-automated controls and measurement to enable more continuous carbon capture.” Among the many upgrades Swail and her team implemented are a custom flue gas conditioning system (including a chiller and heat exchanger), a second reactor, an upgraded filtration press to handle more material throughout, and LabVIEW based software to communicate with a programmable logic controller. The custom software developed by the GIS team gives an operator control over valves, pumps, sensor readings and shutdowns as well as records data for analysis from a computer interface. The system is mounted within a trailer, which will allow the startup to be more mobile, piloting the technology at various partner sites. “Material handling has been a challenge, especially with the slurry,” Swail said. “You need specific types of pumps and compatible materials, and even small details like pressure and height differentials in the lines make a substantial difference. We’ve been testing and redesigning as we go, adding things like a compressed air line to clear blockages. It’s all part of the iterative design process.” The partnership began through Scale for ClimateTech, when RIT Technical Program Manager Mark Walluk conducted a manufacturing readiness level assessment of Carbon To Stone’s technology and recommended the RIT team’s support given the company’s preparedness to scale. “Working with COE-ASM significantly accelerated our product development timeline,” said Sravanth Gadikota, CEO of Carbon To Stone Inc. “They bring a team with broad expertise in various disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, machining and project management. Further, the funding support from New York state agencies made it possible for us to access such incredible skills, right here in Upstate New York. Working with this team is a no-brainer.” Funding for the project was provided by the New York State Department of Economic Development. “New York state funding allows the Center of Excellence to offset the cost of helping companies advance their green technologies,” added Walluk. “It’s very rewarding to help startups like Carbon To Stone on their journey to bring new and impactful technology to the market.” Note: Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the DED.

Faculty member Meghdad Asadilari is several steps closer to launching an animated film about his immigration story thanks to seed funding provided by RIT’s MAGIC Spell Studios. ‌ Meghdad Asadilari Asadilari, an assistant professor in the College of Art and Design whose expertise is in 2D and 3D animation, visual effects, and computer simulations, used the funding to acquire powerful equipment to use advanced industry-standard animation and simulation software, like Houdini and Unreal, to enhance the visual effects in the film. Features like flowing threads and the texture of his grandfather’s carpet-weave design will appear more realistic, bringing the engaging story to life for viewers. The new MAGIC Spell grants, earmarked for digital media projects in art, games, interactivity, and creativity, provide RIT researchers in any college with funding up to $5,000 to help in their pursuits to secure additional external grants in their fields. “The MAGIC Spell grant program provides an essential financial boost to help projects cover early development costs,” said David Long, MAGIC Spell Studios director. “Researchers know that early results and prototypes can bring lucrative external funding. The goal of our grant program is to kickstart this process.” The seed grant program is available to all full-time faculty or staff members engaged in research. Funding can be used for a variety of purposes including hardware and software, wages for student research assistants, costs associated with experiments, conference travel, and networking. Asadilari said grants like this enable researchers to take their projects to the finish line. He is soon planning to submit his film to festivals. “Earning this grant demonstrates that my project is strong enough to be considered for additional funding from sources outside of the university,” said Asadilari. “I’m proud to be able to make and share this film with the world because it tells the special story of my Iranian family, an experience that so many people can relate to.” ‌ Pamela Beach Pamela Beach, associate dean in the College of Health Sciences and Technology, used seed funding from the MAGIC Spell grant program to develop a games prototype to assist children with visual impairments in orientation and mobility. In the game, children use a virtual cane to practice their navigation and cane skills using real-world scenarios. “Research shows that children with visual impairments tend to be more reclusive, lack self-confidence, and can have lower rates of employment in the future,” said Beach. “The early-intervention prototype that we’re building and testing can be used at home or in clinical settings with their caregivers to expose these children to scenarios in a fun, safe environment that will enhance critical skills and, ultimately, their quality of life.” Working with students in RIT’s game design and development program, Beach’s games controllers mimic canes that provide auditory information and haptic feedback. These cues help users navigate their virtual environments. Beach has already play-tested her game at Camp Abilities in Brockport, N.Y., and is gathering data to improve the games’ sensory feedback. “One of the greatest parts of this grant is the opportunity to collaborate with faculty members from other colleges and disciplines that I wouldn’t normally have the chance to interact with,” said Beach. “We’re all working toward the same goal: to develop meaningful research that is making a difference.” To date, six seed funding grants have been distributed. Applications for the 2026 cohort will be due by Jan. 12, 2026.