CSE students among 2016 Dow Sustainability Award finalists
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/30/2016)—The University of Minnesota has selected 10 finalists for the $10,000 Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Award (SISCA). SISCA recognizes and rewards graduate student innovation and research on sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing social, economic and environmental problems. Winners will be announced on Dec. 6.
2016 Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Award Finalists
Production of Novel Polymers from Fermentation of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks
Sustainably generated polymer building blocks from inedible biomasses (lignocellulosics) through the use of metabolically engineered microbes for the ultimate creation of bio-derived polymers.
Maria Kristine McClintock, Joahanna Aquino Macaranas & Lindsay Michelle Johnson
Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Chemistry
Scum to Biodiesel: The Economic Rendering and Conversion of Waste Organics to Fuel
Economical production of biodiesel using low grade oil sourced from wastewater treatment facilities which reduces landfill burden while producing value-added renewable energy locally.
Erik Anderson
Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
Economical Production of Sustainable Fertilizers from Animal Manure
A low cost and sustainable option to produce phosphorus fertilizer which uses electricity to treat animal waste.
Xin Zhang
Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
Bio-Inspired Peptide with Controlled Microstructures for Piezoelectric Devices
Novel piezoelectric microstructures based on diphenylalanine peptide promises to become a solution to a sustainability challenge in the development of future electronic devices.
Vu Nguyen & Kory Jenkins
Mechanical Engineering
Development of a Universal Platform for Aquatic Germplasm Cryopreservation for Species Conservation
Cryopreservation of germplasm vastly improves livestock quality and preservation of endangered species. This technology provides a platform to cryopreserve aquatic germplasm that can improve deteriorating fish stocks, coastal economies and marine biodiversity.
Kanav Khosla
Mechanical Engineering
Sustainable, Low-Cost and Scalable Membranes with Applications in Chemical- and Bio-Based Refineries
An innovative technique to manufacture low-cost zeolite membranes. These membranes have application in sustainable LPG fuel production with large energy and cost savings.
Han Zhang, Neel Rangnekar & Nitish Mittal
Chemical Engineering
Application of Artificial Lichens in Agricultural and Feed Systems
Synthetic lichen to clean wastewater and improve animal feed.
Cristiano Reis & Tanner Barnharst
Bioproducts and Biosystems Science, Engineering and Management
Virtual Oscillator Control for Low-Inertia Microgrids
Virtual oscillator control offers a suite of control design algorithms that create a stable self-organizing microgrid in rapidly varying conditions to facilitate high renewable integration.
Mohit Sinha
Electrical Engineering
Tunable Synthesis of Bio Renewable Oleo-Furan Surfactants
Technology that enables tunable synthesis of 'perfect soap molecules' from biomass. The product is an efficient, superior and sustainable alternative to commercial detergents.
Kristeen Esther Joseph & Saurabh Maduskar
Chemical Engineering and Materials Science