Charlotte Bowens’ ultralight hydration vest, designed to help larger people more easily drink water while exercising, was chosen by readers of the national newspaper USA Today as one of the best gifts for outdoor enthusiasts. She later won $10,000 for the vest developed by her startup company, Conscious Gear, in a Demo Day pitch competition held by ASU’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute, followed by an equal amount in ASU’s Global Sport Institute Venture Challenge  pitch competition. Bowens, administrative director for the Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, part of the Fulton Schools, now  plans to offer more Conscious Gear products.