High school student helps create disinfecting device during pandemic

SIGNAL HILL, Calif. (KABC) -- Rod Oskouian is an intern at Ship and Shore Environmental in Signal Hill, and a senior at Sage Hill high school in Newport Beach.

"I used to like Legos as a kid so I kind of think that's one of my motivations to actually going into engineering," Rod Oskouian said.

Ship and Shore Environmental is a company that focuses on removing pollution from our environment in the U.S. and globally.

"If you were to ever compare the air in L.A. basin 15, 20 years ago versus what it is right now, you have nice, beautiful blue skies. Whereas back then you flew into LAX, you could not see five feet in front of you," said CEO of Ship and Shore Environmental Anoosheh Oskouian, who is also Rod Oskouian's mother.

Ship and Shore Environmental works with major companies to produce products like sky lights and sunglasses.

They try to minimize the pollution that comes from those factories so harmful chemicals are not released into our air.

The company is also partnering up with high schools and universities to provide internships.

Rod Oskouian helped invent a sterilizing misting device while he was an intern at the company.

"This is tentatively named the Korozon misting sterilizer. It eliminates microbes or microbes in terms of any sort of living organisms both in the air or on surfaces," Rod Oskouian said.

The device uses ozone infused water to kill viruses lingering in a space.

Rod Oskouian worked closely with Ship and Shore Environmental's vice president of engineering, John Von Bargen, who had a vision for the device for more than a decade.

Rod Oskouian says a device like this is relevant especially now during the pandemic because it can help to ensure the safety of public social gatherings in the future.

Follow Jaysha on social media:
Facebook.com/ABC7Jaysha
Twitter.com/abc7jaysha
Instagram.com/abc7jaysha