Thinking he was just one in a crowd, University of Oregon undergraduate student Alexander "Zander" Eckblad figured his chances were slim when he submitted his product-design project in the inaugural Oregon BEST Red List Design Challenge.

Eckblad, a senior from San Francisco, received the second-place award earlier this month for his prototype of non-toxic, plant-based cellulose nanofiber insulation. The prize comes with $5,000 and help from Oregon BEST (Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center) to potentially move Eckblad's product into the marketplace.

"I'm honored; I did not expect this at all," said Eckblad, who graduated from The Urban School of San Francisco, a private high school located near Golden Gate Park. "When I entered my first submission, I thought, well I'm just one in many – a kid from the UO. It has turned out to be a great experience, from learning in general to how to connect with people."

- from a story on the UO's Celebrating Champions about Zander Eckblad and the Product Design program