Eniola Shokunbi, a 12-year-old Nigerian-American student in Connecticut, has created an affordable air filter aimed at minimizing the spread of airborne diseases in U.S. classrooms.
The Connecticut State Bond Commission recently approved $11.5 million to fund her innovative design.
Currently a fifth-grader at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy in Middletown, Shokunbi was tasked with devising a solution to enhance safety in schools during future health crises.
Her response was a simple yet effective air filter system designed to combat viruses like COVID-19.
The Design
Shokunbi’s invention focuses on both simplicity and affordability. Using just a box fan, four furnace filters, cardboard, and duct tape, she crafted a unit with a production cost of only $60—an accessible alternative to standard commercial air purifiers.
Describing her filter, Shokunbi explained, “The air goes through all the sides, and it comes out of the top. So it filters in and out.”
Supported by scientists from the University of Connecticut (UConn), her prototype was rigorously tested, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed its ability to eliminate over 99% of airborne viruses, highlighting its potential for enhancing classroom safety.
With the $11.5 million funding approved by the State Bond Commission, Shokunbi’s filters will soon be implemented in schools across Connecticut.
This funding falls under UConn’s SAFE-CT (Supplemental Air Filtration for Education) Program, aiming to equip every public school classroom with these critical air purification systems.
Shokunbi’s vision extends beyond Connecticut, as she hopes to see her air filters used in schools nationwide.
“A lot of people don’t realize that the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science,” she said, emphasizing the need for scientific investments in children’s health.
See video below:
