Eniola Shokunbi: Young Scientist and Innovator

Eniola Shokunbi had never really had much interest in science or technology. However, this changed drastically when a classmate brought in an article about a new type of air purifier being installed in the White House. From a young age, Shokunbi had one very clear goal: to become the first African American Woman President of the United States.[1] So, anything about the White House, President, or US politics always caught her attention.

The global COVID-19 pandemic broke out in December 2019 when Shokunbi was just eight years old. As the disease is airborne, researchers began exploring ways to reduce the number of pathogens in the air in indoor spaces, and the demand for air purifiers in the US soon increased.[2] As many commercial air purifiers are expensive, engineers Richard Corsi and Jim Rosenthal set to work creating a cheaper alternative: the Corsi-Rosenthal box, costing only $60 and made from cardboard, four HVAC filters, and duct tape.[3]

The Corsi-Rosenthal Box air filter, an inexpensive unit designed during the COVID-19 pandemic, to improve ventilation in indoor spaces.Festucarubra via Wikimedia Commons

When Eniola Shokunbi (then just eleven years old) heard about the Corsi-Rosenthal boxes being used to purify the air in the White House,[4] she decided to try and create her own version to help clean the air in her classroom. Shokunbi then wrote a letter to Marina Creed, Director of the Indoor Air Quality Initiative at the University of Connecticut, asking for help. Creed not only sent Shokunbi instructions, but offered to send a group of scientists from the university to help the class construct their own filter.[5] The first iteration of the air purifier made by Shokunbi and her classmates was fashioned after their school mascot – an owl – and was decorated with brightly colored wings, big round eyes, and a beak. They named it “Owl Force One.”[6] Before long, Shokunbi and her class had created enough filters to place one in each classroom in their school.

After garnering attention in the press, Owl Force One was taken for testing by the Environmental Protection Agency in North Carolina.[7] It was found to successfully remove more than ninety-nine percent of viruses in the air.[8] In October 2024, Shokunbi was present as the Connecticut State Bond Commission voted unanimously to grant $11.5 million to have the filters installed in classrooms in schools across the state.[9]

Now, Shokunbi is working to keep the air in classrooms clean across the entire US. Not only does she want the filters installed, but she wants the children in the classrooms to be the ones to install them. On her site, she explains

My goal is to take this initiative nationwide. A key component of my mission is to involve students directly in the process by having them build the air filter boxes themselves. This hands-on involvement will provide educational benefits in STEAM fields while also fostering leadership skills and raising awareness about environmental health. Ultimately, my goal is to create healthier learning environments for all students while empowering them with practical skills and knowledge to make a lasting difference in sustainability.[10]

Learn more about Eniola Shokunbi here. 

[1] NewsNation. Hometown hero: Student designs air filters for classrooms | Morning in America [Online] Available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeZ6HP78uTs. 2024.

[2] McLaughlin, Liz. EPA testing DIY air purifier built by fifth graders. [Online] Available https://www.wral.com/story/epa-testing-diy-air-purifier-built-by-fifth-graders/20975023/. 2023.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Colwell, Sarah. Engineering Dean Corsi Clears the Air at White House [Online] Available https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/engineering-dean-corsi-clears-air-white-house. 2022.

[5] NewsNation, 2024.

[6] McLaughlin, 2023.

[7] Boyo, Sydney. Middle schooler leads $11.5 million project to build air filters for schools [Online] Available https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/middle-schooler-leads-11-5-million-project-build-air-filters-schools/3415312/. 2024.

[8] BOTWC Staff. 12-Year-Old Eniola Shokunbi Receives $11.5M in Funding for Air Filter Invention [Online] Available https://www.becauseofthemwecan.com/blogs/news/12-year-old-eniola-shokunbi-receives-11-5m-in-funding-for-air-filter-invention. 2024.

[9] Boyo, 2024.

[10] https://eniolashokunbi.com/