Michael Gundich

Industrial Design, 2015

Water Contamination Solution

Oasis began as collaboration between the Anthropology Department and the Department of Design at the Ohio State University. An anthropology team already stationed in Cameroon Africa had been doing research on water contamination issues that are plaguing the people of Cameroon. Millions of people, mostly children, are becoming fatally ill due to cross contamination of the water they are consuming. Quantitative data in the form of bacteria samples combined with qualitative observation of hours of ethnographic videos recorded in Cameroon became the foundation of research used in the beginning of the design process.

After months of design and development I was able to come up with 2 separate possible design solutions: the Oasis Purify, and the Oasis Fountain. The Fountain utilizes already existing products being made in Cameroon and combines them with an adaptive lid that allows people to deposit, store, and extract the water while preventing any form of physical contact along the way thus eliminating most of the risk of cross contamination. The Purify utilizes the process of Solar Distillation combined with re-purposed and local materials to provide a water purification system that is very low cost and renewable.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Michael Gundich developed his artistic skills throughout high school winning art competitions and participating in community art events. After accepting a full scholarship to attend OSU he found Industrial Design, the perfect combination of his artistic skills and his love for problem solving. Mike embraces hard design challenges that have real world impact and yield solutions to existing problems.