Instructions:*  Applicants for the summer 2008 SEE research experience for undergraduates (REU) program should submit a first, second, and third choice, from the following list.  Please identify your preferences, in priority order, when filling out your application form (file name “application_2008.pdf”).  The project you are assigned will depend not only on your preferences, but also on availability, matching of skills sets, interests, and acceptance to the program.  DOWNLOAD PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS (PDF)

1.  Cellulosic Fibril Films as Replacements for Plastic Films
Mentor: Dr. Joel Pawlak, Dept. of Wood and Paper Science.

2.  Jet Fuel from Vegetable Oil via Decarboxylation
Mentors: Dr. William L. Roberts, and Mr. Wilson Wang, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

3.  Electrospun Nanofibers for Lithium Ion Battery Applications
Student Mentor: Christopher Bonino; Faculty: Saad Khan, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

4.  Natural Polysaccharide-Based Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid for Enhanced Oil Production
Saad Khan, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

5.  Farm-scale Production of Biobased Ethanol from Locally-Available Sugar and Starch Feedstocks
Mari Chinn, Biological and Agricultural Engineering; Matthew Veal, Biological and Agricultural Engineering

6.  Production and Scaled-up Biocatalytic Conversion of Industrial Sweetpotatoes to Useful Sugars
Mari Chinn, Biological and Agricultural Engineering; Craig Yencho, Horticulture Science

7.  Organic Photovoltaics
Mentors: Dr. Gregory Parsons, Matt Glicksman, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

8. Green Technologies to Promote Water Release during Paper Manufacture
Mentors: Drs. Martin Hubbe and John Heitmann, Wood and Paper Science

9.  Develop Mathematical Models Describing the Metabolic Behavior of Select Biocatalysts for Metabolic Engineering Efforts to Generate More Efficient Synthesis Gas to Ethanol Microorganisms
Mentor: Steven Peretti, Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

10.  Evaluation of Immobilized Whole-Cell Biocatalysts for Biodiesel Production
Steven W. Peretti, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Ratna Sharma-Shivappa, Biological and Agricultural Engineering

11. Student Opportunity with a Mobile Torrefaction Processor Project
Mentor: Chris Hopkins, Forestry

12.  Production of Biodegradable Polymers by Fermentation of Industrial Sweetpotatoes
Ratna Sharma-Shivappa, Biological and Agricultural Engineering; Mari Chinn, Biological and Agricultural Engineering; Craig Yencho, Horticulture Science

13.  Dissolution and Enzymatic Processing of Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Ionic Liquids for Biofuel Production
Wesley Henderson and Xinglian Geng, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

14.  Polystyrene Hydrogenation in Carbon Dioxide-Expanded Decahydronaphthalene
Student Mentor:  Laura Beth Dong, Faculty Mentor:  George W. Roberts, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

15. Catalytic Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to Methanol
Student Mentor: Tamer Ahmed; Faculty Mentor: George W. RobertsDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

16.  Measurement and Modeling of the Viscosity of Polystyrene in Supercritical CO2 Expanded Decahydronapthalene
Student Mentor: Nathan Cain; Faculty Mentor: Dr. George W. Roberts

* Note: It is possible that more projects may be added later.