By Elizabeth Egan

Adu knew from a young age that she wanted to be an engineer. While she grew up in a family of health care workers, her sister recognized Adu’s interest in learning how things work, from office chairs to light circuits, and encouraged her to explore the field. 

Adu became involved on campus, joining UB’s chapter of the National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE) and served as the chapter’s president in 2024. 

As a student in UB’s Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, she was paired with Monica Miles, assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Education, for an undergraduate research experience. Adu spent the summer working with Miles on an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program to raise an air quality flag at the Delavan-Grider Community Center in Buffalo. 

The flag changes colors based on the Air Quality Index, providing community members with a simple way to determine if the air could impact their health. Colors range from green, which indicates good air quality, to purple, a warning that outdoor exposure should be avoided. 

The project, supported by NSBE and Second Nature, marked the first EPA Air Quality Flag Program in Buffalo.

Through the project, Adu also took part in a STEM camp at the community center, hosting 60 children from kindergarten through sixth grade. The camp introduced students to engineering concepts while encouraging them to envision themselves in STEM careers.  

After graduation, Adu is interested in working in quality assurance for biomedical devices. Her work on the flag program provided her with experience working within narrow regulations, she said. 

Adu also published an account of her experiences working on the EPA flag program in NSBE’s Journal of Black Excellence in Engineering, Science and Technology. In the article, she wrote, “To my fellow undergraduates, I urge you to find ways to connect your academic pursuits with meaningful community work. The challenges may be great, but the impact is immeasurable.” 

A typical college packing list might include shower shoes and bedding, but for Ruszkowski his 3D printer also made the list. 

After arriving on campus, Ruszkowski quickly got involved with UB Community and Civic Engagement. The office connected him with Buffalo’s Tool Library, a nonprofit that lends tools to the community.

Ruszkowski volunteers at the Tool Library, using his printer to help create sustainable solutions for tools. He also participates in the library’s Dare to Repair events, traveling to different locations across Buffalo where people bring appliances for minor repairs. When a part is needed to make a repair that the volunteers do not have access to, Ruszkowski uses his printer to make the part on the spot.

“A challenge with 3D printing can be transferring its capabilities to practical implementations,” said Ruszkowski. “At the Tool Library, I have been using my printer to design solutions for things that often go missing like blade covers and drill boxes to track when drill bits go missing.”  

Ruszkowski is also an active member of the student club Engineers for a Sustainable World, where he is the lead on the group’s Precious Plastics Project, which looks for ways to use plastic that might otherwise end up in landfills.  

He said the project is currently working on making eco bricks—plastic bottles filled with more plastic that are designed to serve as long-term solutions to end-of-life plastic products. Ruszkowski is using his 3D printer to enhance production, offering a pathway to scale production and expand its impact. They plan to use the bricks in combination with concrete to build benches around Buffalo.

Ruszkowski plans to keep working with the Tool Library and Engineers for a Sustainable World throughout his study at UB. He is also starting a Buffalo-based nonprofit with other UB students called STEP Buffalo that will work to bridge high school students with local industries looking to hire people in manufacturing roles.