Frontiers in Biological Sciences Seminar Series
The seminar series features nationally/internationally known researchers from industry, government, and academia discussing novel ideas and advancements related to biological sciences. The hour-long seminars will feature a 45-minute talk by the featured speaker followed by 15 minutes of discussion with the audience members.
Previous Seminars
Presentation: "Developing genome-enabled sustainable lignocellulosic biofuels technologies"
Highlight: Building Better Biofuels
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
EMSL Auditorium, Richland, WA
11:30AM
Dr. Timothy Donohue, Professor of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Professor Donohue has been a member of the UW-Madison Bacteriology Department for more than 20 years. His research program studies solar energy use by photosynthetic bacteria; specifically, how cells divert the energy captured from sunlight into different pathways. He has been a member of various federal research panels, served on several editorial boards and advisory committees in microbiology, and helped author reports for the Department of Energy on solar energy generation and the conversion of plant biomass into biofuels. He has decades of experience in leading cross-disciplinary research programs, including the NIGMS Biotechnology Training Program.
In 2007, Dr. Donohue was named director of the new Department of Energy-sponsored Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). The Center conducts basic, genomics-based research to design the microbial and plant systems needed to realize the potential of biofuels. In particular, GLBRC programs are focused on the sustainable conversion of cellulosic and other plant biomass into ethanol or other next-generation biofuels.
Combining innovative science, a critical mass of natural assets, and the corporate horsepower to build and advance a new bioenergy economy, Great Lakes Bioenergy is position to become a worldwide center of excellence for R&D of cellulosic ethanol and other bioenergy products. In support of this vision, GLBRC activities are being led by academic, national lab, and industry experts in plant biology, microbiology, molecular or cell biology, biochemistry, protein design, engineering, computer sciences, systems analysis, and ecology.
"Making Second-Generation Biofuels from Biomass Materials: Current Status and Future Perspectives"
Monday, March 23, 2009
EMSL Auditorium, Richland, WA
10:00AM
Dr. Birgitte Ahring, Director of the Center for Bioproducts and Bioenergy and Battelle Distinguished Professor, based at WSU Tri-Cities, was the presenter.
Dr. Ahring has been Director of the Center for Bioproducts and Bioenergy at WSU-Tri-Cities' Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL) since August 2008. Previously, she was professor at The Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby. She is an internationally recognized authority in using anaerobic bacteria—bacteria that exists in an oxygen-free environment—to biodegrade waste.
Dr. Ahring's diverse background includes public-private partnerships, academic and industrial collaboration, high-level research, and a passion for educating others. She received her Ph.D. in microbiology in 1986 from the University of Copenhagen.
She also is founder and Chief Executive Officer of BioGasol, an engineering and technology company that designs and develops technologies for second-generation bioethanol production. Her company is a partner in the Pacific Northwest's first ethanol plant, which is funded with $24 million by the U.S. Department of Energy. This plant is being built in Boardman, Ore., about 70 miles southwest of WSU Tri-Cities.