Bioenergy: renewable energy derived from biomass,
including byproducts, residues, woody waste products, and crops and microbes grown specifically for fuel. Development of bioenergy could contribute to long-term environmental and economic sustainability, and help mitigate the climate impact of using fossil fuels.
Bioenergy Education: Addressing the need for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels,
which is a major societal problem with potentially large rewards. Solving this problem is dependent on PEOPLE: to drive innovation, commercialization, and operation of next generation biofuels technologies. Needed skills include discovery science, feedstock development and production, logistics, pilot-scale and commercial-scale industrial conversion, business and marketing, education, economics and social sciences.
The new Bioenergy Education program at OSU has three parts:
a Pre-College Program, and
a Professional Science Master's program.
This program is part of a regional Biofuels project, Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest (AHBN), a USDA-funded consortium for biofuels development. Led by University of Washington and involving partners in research, industry, extension and education, AHBN’s goal is developing a 100% compatible-with-existing-infrastructure biofuels industry in the Pacific Northwest by 2015 -- using FSC-certified poplars as the feedstock.
- Research-based interdisciplinary Minor provides an introduction to bioenergy concepts and issues, and a significant research experience
- Open to students in agricultural, earth, atmospheric and oceanographic sciences; business; education; engineering; forestry; science; and social science majors
- Scholarships and research/internship funding available APPLICATION
- OSU SMILE (a science and math enrichment program for underserved communities) is coordinating the pre-college program
- Components include new Bioenergy curricula and activities, teacher training, after school SMILE clubs, and a summer Bridge Into College program
- In August, SMILE presented six new Bioenergy learning activities to high school and middle school teachers SMILE link
PROFESSIONAL SCIENCE MASTER'S (PSM):
- OSU's PSM Program will offer a Renewable Energy PSM starting in Fall 2013, with Bioenergy an area of concentration
- PSM students are trained in business and management as well as science, and complete an internship
ADVANCED HARDWOODS BIOFUELS:
In the News
Bioenergy Scholarships Available for Next Year (11/2012)
Thanks to a grant from the USDA, approximately 18 competitive scholarships will be offered for next year for new and continuing students in the Bioenergy Minor (any major), or in the BRR major, Bioproducts and Bioenergy Option (bioenergy focus). Most scholarships will be for $1,000, with some at the $3,000 level. The application for these scholarships is due APRIL 19, 2013. Download Application Here. (note that application states that due date is in February, but it is APRIL 19)
If you currently have a Bioenergy Scholarship, please fill out this same application to reapply for next year.
The Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium (11/2012)
Bioenergy Graduate Research Assistants Shawn Freitas and Kimi Gryzb presented a poster on OSU's Bioenergy Minor at the Northwest Bioenergy Research Symposium in Seattle in November.
Review of Chevy Volt (10/2012)
Chris Beatty of Trillium Fiberfuels reviews the Chevy Volt electric/hybrid car. (Read Review)
Engineering Professor Greg Rorrer awarded $2 million for Bioenergy study (10/2012)
Greg Rohrer, chair of OSU's Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering department, was recently awarded a $2 million National Science Foundation grant for research on diatoms. Diatoms, minute photosynthetic organisms with elaborate silicon tests, were the producers of the world's petroleum. Now Rorrer's research with living diatoms will search for ways to combine the ability of diatoms to produce oil for biofuels with other useful attributes, such as production of high-value biochemicals and minerals. (Read more)
Bioenergy Scholarships Awarded! (8/2012)
Nine students from four states have been awarded Bioenergy scholarships. These students will join OSU's new Bioenergy Minor that begins in Fall 2012. Scholarship winners come from fields as diverse as Chemical Engineering, Renewable Materials, Botany and Plant Pathology, and Business Management. Two of the scholars are already involved in Bioenergy research! More scholarships will be available for next year: watch for application.
OSU receives $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and Office of Biological and Environmental Research
Dr. Pankaj Jaiswal, an OSU assistant professor in botany and plant pathology, received a grant to identify genes that help poplar trees grow in marginal land unfit for food crops. (Read full story)
Governor Kitzhaber releases draft energy plan for Oregon
Margi Hoffmann, Gov. John Kitzhaber's energy adviser, led a public discussion of Gov. Kitzhaber's 10-year energy plan with renewable energy developers, utility representatives, energy storage executives, green building professionals and others. (Read full story)
OSU Engineers convert wastewater to electricity
Oregon State University engineers say they've found a way to convert ordinary sewage into usable electrical energy. With enhanced performance of microbial fuel cells - technology that changes chemical energy into electrical energy - wastewater can be used as a source to produce electricity at a volume 10 to 50 times higher than many other approaches. (Read full story).
Dates to Know
January 9, 2013, 6 pm
First meeting of new Bioenergy class, BRR 499, "Interdisciplinary Research: Bioenergy focus" Place and CRN TBA