Source: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV submitted to
MULTIDISCIPLINARY DOCTORAL EDUCATION IN BIO-BASED MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0232323
Grant No.
2013-38420-20522
Project No.
NCZ09478
Proposal No.
2012-04080
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
KK
Project Start Date
Feb 15, 2013
Project End Date
Feb 14, 2018
Grant Year
2013
Project Director
Gonzalez, R. W.
Recipient Organization
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
(N/A)
RALEIGH,NC 27695
Performing Department
Forest Biomaterials
Non Technical Summary
The production of bio-based materials (including solid and liquid biofuels) in the U.S. has been identified as a national priority as a means to reduce dependence on foreign oil. During 2011 the United States produced almost 14 billion gallons of bioethanol for transportation fuel (all of this produced from starch-based corn kernels). Despite the success in bioethanol production, there are several societal concerns regarding the sustainability of producing bio-based materials and fuels from corn kernels, as well as controversial point of views around the use of food based materials for fuel production. The 2008 USDA report titled "U.S Bio-based Products Market Potential and Projections through 2025" clearly identifies lignocellulosic biomass as an important potential source of building blocks for the production of hundreds of bio-based materials and fuels that could replace petroleum based materials. Furthermore, lignocellulosic feedstock has been identified as the main raw material for second generation biofuels (based on cellulosic biomass), with mandates to produce 16 billion gallons by 2022. Production of 0.5 and 1 billion gallons cellulosic biofuels are expected for 2012 and 2013, nevertheless as of the third quarter of 2012 there is not a single commercial facility in the US. Several barriers have been identified for the commercialization of cellulosic biofuels as: high capital expenditure (CAPEX) or capital investment, which translate into longer paybacks of 8-11 years with minimum ethanol revenue (at 12%) above current market prices. Other limiting factors include lack of proven technology at industrial scale which increases uncertainty in production yields, high operation costs and CAPEX, as well as high enzyme cost and high and uncertain feedstock cost and availability. Lastly it is well known and discussed by experts in the area that the productions of yet to be identified commercial byproducts are required to offset operational costs and reduce the impact of CAPEX. There have been several attempts for commercialization of cellulosic biofuel biorefineries, and so far all have resulted in financial and technical fiascos with hundreds of millions dollar of public and private funding lost. Furthermore, the intensive funding provided by federal, state and private entities in the last ten years have resulted in the generation of arrays of technologies (and hybrids technologies) that promise to solve some of the current limitations to profitably produce transportation biofuels and other bio-based materials. The evaluation of potential technologies linked with potential business models are required to advance the commercialization of liquid transportation biofuels and other bio-based materials. These tasks require highly trained talented students in conversion process, technology management and business models, requiring intensive course work in engineering, science and business.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
25%
Applied
50%
Developmental
25%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
4020611200010%
4020611202010%
4020611310010%
6010611310010%
6020611200010%
6020611202010%
6020611310010%
6070611200010%
6070611202010%
6070611310010%
Knowledge Area
602 - Business Management, Finance, and Taxation; 402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment; 601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management; 607 - Consumer Economics;

Subject Of Investigation
0611 - Conifer forests of the South;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering; 2000 - Chemistry; 3100 - Management;
Goals / Objectives
The main goal of this proposal is to develop an educational program for a new generation of technical to commercialization researchers who understand the entire value chain of bio-based materials & fuels science and engineering, and the corresponding technology management and business models needed to meet the future national needs for technologically advanced scientists in the area of bio-based materials and fuels. Figure 1 shows the different areas that define this integrated and comprehensive training: 1. Feedstock production, 2. Feedstock handling (harvesting, storage and transportation), 3. Conversion Processes, 4. Integrated value chain and business models and 5. Sustainability. This program incorporates cross-disciplinary teamwork/advising and coursework in two Departments at North Carolina State University: 1) Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources (PhD course work), and 2) Jenkins Business School, College of Management, MBA course work. The Forest Biomaterials department is one of the strongest programs in the US for biomass processing, a natural hub for this program, having essential courses and extensive research projects in the area. Our department will partner with the Jenkins Business School at NCSU (Technology Management and Product Development faculty). The three doctoral graduates of this program will be exceptionally trained to lead research and commercialization of technologies for bio-based materials & fuels production in the United States. The development of this program is intended to outlive the NNF funding and serve as a model for integrated techno-financial training of doctoral students to serve the agricultural arena.
Project Methods
The priority area developed in this proposal is Sustainable Bioenergy (number 3), the Targeted Expertise Shortage Area (TESA) is Agricultural Management and Economics, Code D. In this application, we intend to develop three NNF Fellows that will be leaders in the field of Technology Management and Commercialization of Bio-based Materials and Fuels. These three Fellows will be at the Ph.D. level and awarded a doctoral degree in a Sustainable Biomaterials Program in the Department of Forest Biomaterials and a minor in Business Administration focused in Technology Management in the Department of Business Administration, students will also receive a certificate in Technology Management from the Jenkins Business School at NC State University. Plans for achieving completion rate greater than institutional average. Students who are outstanding candidates for doctoral research will be specifically selected for this project. These high-achieving students will have a higher likelihood of successfully completing the graduate program of study. The extensive mentoring, professional development opportunities, fellowship stipend, and institutional commitment to the success of these students will make it likely that these students will excel. Once the program of study starts, student progress and success will be directly compared to students that have graduated over the previous two years. Our aggressive efforts to recruit students from underrepresented groups will be combined with a strong effort to retain such students and ensure that they earn a Ph.D and minor in Business Administration. Active retention building activities include continued funding, workshops, student associations and informal student and faculty teambuilding through research group meetings and interactions, the Research Methods Course, and continuous advising. Mentoring and other support. This is described in section 2-(2). Plans to measure and report outcomes. The goal of this education proposal is to train students in the interdisciplinary area of bio-materials science & engineering and Technology Management to be effective future leaders in the area. The six outcomes developed in this proposed program and each of the educational outcomes will be evaluated by a specific set of measurement activities

Progress 02/15/13 to 02/14/18

Outputs
Target Audience:During this researchproject, three U.S. citizen were recruited for the Ph.D. program in Forest Biomaterials. These prospects were low economic resources students. Their original geographic locationswere in North Carolina economic depressed rural areas. Changes/Problems:No major changes. The program was executed as planned. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students had the opportunity to participate in several industrial consortiums. They also developed their research very closely with several companies. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have informed companies about outcomes of this grant and we have informed prospect studentsabout this area of specialization. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have completed the project and we have met all proposed objectives.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A permanent collaborationbetween the Department of Forest Biomaterials and Department of Business Administrationwas established. Three studentsgraduated from this program. All three student took classes from the business school, thus enhancing their technical background with specific knowledge in finance and supply chain.Students had the opportunity to participate in several industrial consortiums. One master graduate student is working with SakaroTec. The 2nd Ph.D. studentworks in a techno-economic discipline with Georgia Pacific and the 3rd Ph.D. graduate is working with Borregaard Lignotech. All three graduates are actively working in the bioeconomy.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Biomass pretreatments capable of enabling lignin valorization in a biorefinery process. Robert H Narron, Hoyong Kim, Hou-min Chang, Hasan Jameel, Sunkyu Park. 2016/4/30. Current opinion in biotechnology, 38, 39-46, Elsevier.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lignocentric analysis of a carbohydrate-producing lignocellulosic biorefinery process. Robert H Narron, Qiang Han, Sunkyu Park, Hou-min Chang, Hasan Jameel. 2017/10/1. Journal Bioresource technology, 241, 857-867, Elsevier.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Characterization of biofuel refinery byproduct via selective electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Kelsey S Boes, Robert H Narron, Yufei Chen, Sunkyu Park, Nelson R Vinueza. 2017/1/15. Fuel. 188, 190-196
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Soluble Lignin Recovered from Biorefinery Pretreatment Hydrolyzate Characterized by LigninCarbohydrate Complexes. Robert H Narron, Hou-min Chang, Hasan Jameel, Sunkyu Park. 2017/10/25. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 5, 11, 10763-10771, American Chemical Society.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Nanocellulose and proteins: exploiting their interactions for production, immobilization, and synthesis of biocompatible materials. Consuelo Fritz, Benjamin Jeuck, Carlos Salas, Ronalds Gonzalez, Hasan Jameel, Orlando J Rojas. 2015. Cellulose Chemistry and Properties: Fibers, Nanocelluloses and Advanced Materials. 207-224, Springer
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Life Cycle Assessment of lignin extraction in a softwood kraft pulp mill. Charles Culbertson, Trevor Treasure, Richard Venditti, Hasan Jameel, Ronalds Gonzalez. 2016/1/1. NORDIC PULP & PAPER RESEARCH JOURNAL, 31, 1, 30-U247, AB SVENSK PAPPERSTIDNING
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: CULBERTSON JR, CHARLES GRANT. Commercialization of Sustainable Bio-Refinery Projects for the Pulp & Paper Industry. (Under the direction of Dr. Richard Venditti, Dr. Hasan Jameel, and Dr. Ronalds Gonzalez).