Professor and Robbins Chair David Shonnard (ChE, SFI), in conjunction with co-PIs Professor Barry Solomon (SS), Professor Kathleen Halvorsen (SS), Senior Research Engineer Richard Donovan (ChE), and Assistant Professor Sam Sweitz (SS) have received $349,996 from the National Science Foundation for the first year of a four-year project, totaling $749,996: "CN-SEES: A Research Coordination Network on Pan American Biofuels and Bioenergy Sustainability."

Professor David Shonnard (ChE/SFI) and Co-PI Bradley Baltensperger (CLS) have received $120,374 from the National Science Foundation for the first year of a potential three-year, $358,492 project, "RET Site: Wood to Wheels--Research Experiences for High School Teachers in Sustainable Transportation Technologies."

Biofuel for Jets Could Cut Carbon Emissions Over 80 Percent David Shonnard, Robbins Chair Professor of Chemical Engineering, conducted an analysis of jet fuel made from camelina oil to measure its carbon dioxide emissions over the course of its life cycle, from planting to tailpipe. Dr Shonnard has also received $321,138 from American Process Inc. for "C5 Fermentation Improvement Project: An MTU Subcontract to Alpina Prototype Biorefinery Proposal to MEDC." Dr. Shonnard has received $274,837 from Frontier Renewable Resources for a multiple-year project, "Project 3 Frontier Renewable Resources Center of Energy Excellence: Improving Forest Feedstock Harvesting, Processing and Hauling Efficiencies."

Komar Kawatra receives funding for a National Science Foundation "Advanced Sustainable Iron & Steel Making Center."

Whey to Go: Chemical Engineer Solves Dairy Waste Problem
There's plenty of whey to go around. In 2005, US cheese production topped 9 billion pounds, and for each pound of cheese, about nine pounds of wastewater is created, most of it whey.
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Professor Michael Mullins has received $1,230,000 from the US Department of Energy for an 18-month project, "Center for Fundamental and Applied Research in Nanostructured and Lightweight Materials."

Jason Keith has received $166,208, the first increment of a potential $375,000 three-year project, from the Department of Energy for "Hydrogen Education Curriculum Path at Michigan Technological University."

Jason Keith, an associate professor of chemical engineering, researches fuel cells and explains them in simple language. To power a car, a Dagwood sandwich of fuel cells is required, he says. See Featured in 'Fuel Cells in Your Future' article Michigan Tech Research 2008 Pages 9-10

Michigan Tech's Unit Operations Lab, a chemical processing facility located right on campus, will remain among the nation's best, thanks to a significant donation from Dow Corning Corporation.

New Research Center for Process Analysis and Diagnostics

Dan Crowl received the Gary Leach Award from the AICHE Board of Directors

Faith Morrision Elected Rheology Society President

Chemical Engineering labs are model for laboratory safety: Four visitors from South Korea visited the Laboratory Facilities to examine the department's laboratory safety program.

David R. Shonnard (Chemical Engineering), Susan T. Bagley (Biological Sciences), Heather Youngs (Biological Sciences) and Patricia Heiden (Chemistry) received $275,027 over two years from General Motors for "A Systems Approach to Improving Processing Efficiency of Forest Biomass for Co-Production of Biofuels and Biopolymers," a multidisciplinary research project on producing biofuels/bioproducts from woody biomass.

Jason Keith (Chemical Engineering) received $90,000 from the American Chemical Society, Petroleum Research Fund, for "Modeling and Optimization of Diesel Particulate Trap Ignition Phenomena."

Making a Difference Staff Awards

David Caspary, manager of laboratory facilities for the Department of Chemical Engineering, has earned the Unsung Hero award, which recognizes staff who are a quiet but steady presence in their department, demonstrate a willingness to fill in whenever needed, take initiative to solve problems and improve work situations without being prompted or consistently go above and beyond without fanfare. Caspary was a "driving force" in helping to develop the Unit Operation's Process Simulation and Control Center at Michigan Tech and his "commitment to maintaining a great (and safe) educational experience."

Wood to Wheels: Put a Tree in Your Tank

The university’s Wood to Wheels, or W2W, project has brought together scientists and engineers from multiple disciplines to research ethanol-powered transport from a 360-degree perspective.
Wood to Wheels Feature story

Security Foam Research
Michigan Tech's Center for Environmentally Benign Functional Materials and its Sustainable Futures Institute have been awarded $1.7 million to develop structural foams that could be used in security applications. The research is being conducted by principal investigator Ghatu Subhash of the MEEM department and Co-principal investigators Gerard Caneba and David Shonnard, both of the Department of Chemical Engineering. News Story in full