Eniola Shokunbi, a 12-year-old Nigerian from Connecticut, has designed an affordable air filter to help reduce the spread of airborne diseases in schools. Her innovative solution targets classrooms, offering a low-cost option for improving air quality and preventing the transmission of viruses like COVID-19.
While in fifth grade at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy in Middletown, Shokunbi and her classmates were tasked with developing safety solutions for future pandemics. Her design consists of a box fan, four furnace filters, duct tape, and cardboard, producing an air filtration system that costs just $60 per unit—far more affordable than commercial purifiers.
Shokunbi explained, “The air goes through all the sides and comes out of the top, filtering in and out.”
With support from the University of Connecticut, her design underwent extensive testing, and the EPA confirmed it removes over 99% of airborne viruses. As a result, Connecticut’s State Bond Commission approved $11.5 million in funding to implement Shokunbi’s air filters in schools across the state, as part of the UConn SAFE-CT program.
Shokunbi hopes her invention will spread nationwide, emphasizing the crucial role of science in protecting public health. “Science is the key to preventing illness,” she said, stressing the need to invest in solutions for children’s health.
