MSU students create first-ever event to showcase biofuels proposals
by Andy Henion
April 9, 2008 - From examining corn genetics to exploring fungus and enzymes, the future of Michigan’s biofuel economy may be in the hands of college students.
Inventors Day, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 11, at the Henry Center for Executive Development, is a first-time event created by students at MSU’s James Madison College to showcase student innovation and ideas to help improve the biofuel economy.
“We want companies that aren’t in Michigan yet and companies that don’t even exist yet to look at Michigan as a place where there is an environment for growth, entrepreneurship and talent,” said Alex Plum, an international relations and political theory senior and one of 11 undergraduate students who created the event. “We want to expose the student talent.”
The first-ever event is part of the annual Michigan Futures Seminar, a public policy research consortium at James Madison College. The seminar focuses on the biofuels economy and how assets of Michigan’s universities can provide connections with corporate and government sectors.
Sponsored by a grant from Lansing-based Prima Civitas Foundation, Inventors Day will allow undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students to showcase their ideas and research and present their work to business leaders, government officials and university faculty and administrators.
University students from across the state submitted proposals. Those with the top five proposals will be awarded $1,000 and will give a 20-minute presentation to industry and government experts at the event Friday. All proposals will be on display.
The five winning proposals address the topics of biogas; marginal lands; corn genetics; carbon sequestration; and fungus and enzymes.
“This has been a student-directed and student-led initiative,” said Ross Emmett, James Madison associate professor. “While it comes out of the research of the (Michigan Futures) seminar, it was not an assignment for the class. The students are taking Inventors Day on as a way to publicly demonstrate what students of Michigan universities have to contribute to the thinking of technological developments in the biofuel economy.”
Permanent University link
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
MSU hosts inaugural Inventors Day
April 12, 2008
MSU hosts inaugural Inventors Day
Students attempting to improve Michigan biofuels industry
Derek Wallbank
Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING - Sang-Hyuck Park has a vision for Michigan's economy.
It involves complicated terms like carbon sequestration and bioprospecting. In short, he hopes to make renewable fuels created from agricultural products more efficient.
"We need to lower the cost of bioenergy," Park said.
Park presented his ideas as part of Michigan State University's first Inventors Day, a student-created event where five research teams presented research-based solutions aimed at improving Michigan's biofuels industry.
The event, hosted by the Michigan Futures Seminar, a public policy group based at MSU's James Madison College, was intended to connect students, business and government leaders and create an opportunity for dialogue.
"One of the things we saw is that universities, business and government officials weren't communicating," said Matt Stuart, a political theory and constitutional democracy student who helped organize the event.
George Seroka, an engineering manager for DTE Energy, was one of the industry leaders at Inventors Day.
"As a utility, we are very interested in reducing our carbon footprint," Seroka said, adding that the utility was trying to move its energy portfolio toward more renewable energy.
The difficulty now in providing more alternative energy options, he said, is the difference in cost for consumers between fossil fuels and renewable fuels.
"If there's a way the research can close the economic gap between resources, then that would help us make the optimum choices in the future," he said. "We want to do what's right for the customers and for us."
Kristin Sulewski, a 22-year-old international relations and social relations senior who helped organize the event, said she was particularly intrigued by a proposal to use land that can't be commercially farmed to grow plants for biofuels.
"It's a step in the right direction," she said.
Other ideas include:
• Genetically engineering crops to yield more biofuels
• Modifications to internal combustion engines that could optimize ethanol-based fuels
• Using animal waste products to create biofuels.
"There are a lot of solutions out there to address the bioeconomy," said MSU student Alex Plum, another event organizer. "Maybe we're one small step on the way to that."
MSU hosts inaugural Inventors Day
Students attempting to improve Michigan biofuels industry
Derek Wallbank
Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING - Sang-Hyuck Park has a vision for Michigan's economy.
It involves complicated terms like carbon sequestration and bioprospecting. In short, he hopes to make renewable fuels created from agricultural products more efficient.
"We need to lower the cost of bioenergy," Park said.
Park presented his ideas as part of Michigan State University's first Inventors Day, a student-created event where five research teams presented research-based solutions aimed at improving Michigan's biofuels industry.
The event, hosted by the Michigan Futures Seminar, a public policy group based at MSU's James Madison College, was intended to connect students, business and government leaders and create an opportunity for dialogue.
"One of the things we saw is that universities, business and government officials weren't communicating," said Matt Stuart, a political theory and constitutional democracy student who helped organize the event.
George Seroka, an engineering manager for DTE Energy, was one of the industry leaders at Inventors Day.
"As a utility, we are very interested in reducing our carbon footprint," Seroka said, adding that the utility was trying to move its energy portfolio toward more renewable energy.
The difficulty now in providing more alternative energy options, he said, is the difference in cost for consumers between fossil fuels and renewable fuels.
"If there's a way the research can close the economic gap between resources, then that would help us make the optimum choices in the future," he said. "We want to do what's right for the customers and for us."
Kristin Sulewski, a 22-year-old international relations and social relations senior who helped organize the event, said she was particularly intrigued by a proposal to use land that can't be commercially farmed to grow plants for biofuels.
"It's a step in the right direction," she said.
Other ideas include:
• Genetically engineering crops to yield more biofuels
• Modifications to internal combustion engines that could optimize ethanol-based fuels
• Using animal waste products to create biofuels.
"There are a lot of solutions out there to address the bioeconomy," said MSU student Alex Plum, another event organizer. "Maybe we're one small step on the way to that."
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Inventors Day accepting proposals
The following story is about a one-day event being hosted by the students in the Michigan Futures in the Global Economy research seminar that Drs. Emmett and Ritchie run. For more, see the Inventors Day website
The story was published in The State News on February 10, 2008
Students interested in the renewable energy and biofuel industry in Michigan can present their research and invention proposals to field experts at Biofuel Inventors’ Day.
Undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students must submit proposals relevant to the renewable energy and biofuel industry in Michigan by March 14.
Students should submit a two-page proposal describing their research, invention or idea, as well as its potential commercial value.
The top five submissions will present their findings at the conference and will receive a $1,000 award.
The conference, to be held April 11 at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing, is a collaboration between the Michigan Center for Innovation & Economic Prosperity and MSU’s James Madison College.
For more information, visit www.mciep.org/InventorsDay.
Published on Sunday, February 10, 2008
The story was published in The State News on February 10, 2008
Students interested in the renewable energy and biofuel industry in Michigan can present their research and invention proposals to field experts at Biofuel Inventors’ Day.
Undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students must submit proposals relevant to the renewable energy and biofuel industry in Michigan by March 14.
Students should submit a two-page proposal describing their research, invention or idea, as well as its potential commercial value.
The top five submissions will present their findings at the conference and will receive a $1,000 award.
The conference, to be held April 11 at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing, is a collaboration between the Michigan Center for Innovation & Economic Prosperity and MSU’s James Madison College.
For more information, visit www.mciep.org/InventorsDay.
Published on Sunday, February 10, 2008
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