My Ph.D. research revolves around designing carbon-capture materials to combat global warming (see my website for more details and links to publications). Serendipitously, these materials are very pretty to look at (small green crystals). I think there's an opportunity here to significantly raise awareness about both global warming and also technologies that can fight it (but need research money!) by making jewelry out of carbon-capture crystals. The jewelry would be 'functional' in that it would actively suck carbon dioxide out of there while being worn (until a saturation point is reached).

I chose the Toronto chapter because that is my home town and there is a talented jewelry designer there, Niki Kavakonis, who has offered to partner with me.