SEES Fellows: Development of a Novel Algal Harvesting and Dewatering Method for the Economically Feasible Production of Biofuels from Microalgae Growing on Industrial Emissions

在NSF科学，工程和教育可持续发展研究员（SEES研究员计划）的这个奖项中，来自特拉华州大学的Jennifer Stewart博士将研究环境变化对新兴传染病风险的影响，特别是人畜共患病和病媒传播疾病。 该奖项得到了以下机构的支持：生物科学理事会，工程理事会，斯图尔特博士将研究驱动一氧化氮（NO）诱导的光合藻类赤潮异弯藻絮凝的生物机制，她将与特拉华州技术和社区学院的学生合作开发一个试点项目，用于生产光合燃料的生物质的大规模藻类收获和脱水系统。 斯图尔特博士将研究细胞过程和下游生物燃料生产的重要产品将使用多学科的“全细胞”的方法，结合生理，生化和分子分析进行检查。 这种方法将包括比较转录组分析，以确定参与絮凝的基因和基因途径，并确定絮凝和收获高质量生物质的最佳条件。这样的研究的目的是开发替代（可再生）高质量液体燃料的来源，可以很容易地纳入现有的基础设施。 藻类生物燃料显示出一些前景，但藻类生物燃料的生产在商业规模上尚不具有经济可行性。 斯图尔特博士正在研究的絮凝和脱水方法有助于降低藻类生物燃料加工过程中分离和去除水的成本。斯图尔特博士将与特拉华州大学的凯瑟琳·科因和特拉华州技术与社区学院化学工程技术系的道格·希克斯合作。 斯图尔特博士还将建立一个展览，包括在“海岸日”，在特拉华州大学的公共宣传活动。该项目是由美国国家科学基金会科学，工程和教育的可持续发展研究员支持（SEES研究员）计划，其目标是帮助实现所需的发现，为导致环境，能源和社会可持续性，同时创造必要的劳动力来应对这些挑战。在SEES研究员的支持下，该项目将使一个有前途的早期职业研究人员能够在与可持续发展相关的独立研究生涯中建立自己的地位。

In this Award from the NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability Fellows (SEES Fellows Program) Dr. Jennifer Stewart from the University of Delaware will study the impact of changes in the environment upon the risks for emerging infectious diseases, in particular zoonotic and vector-borne diseases. This award has support from: the Directorate for Biological Sciences, the Directorate for Engineering, and the Office of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).Dr. Stewart will study the biological mechanisms that drive the nitric-oxide (NO) induced flocculation of the photosynthetic algae Heterosigma akashiwo and she will work with students at Delaware Technical and Community College to develop a pilot-scale algal harvesting and dewatering system for production of biomass for production of photosynthetic fuels. Dr. Stewart will study the cellular processes and products important to downstream biofuel production will be examined using a multidisciplinary "whole cell" approach that incorporates physiological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. This approach will include a comparative transcriptome analysis to identify genes and gene pathways involved in flocculation, and define the optimal conditions for flocculation and harvesting of high quality biomass.The aim of studies like this is to develop alternative (renewable) sources of high quality liquid fuels that can be easily incorporated into existing infrastructure. Algal biofuels show some promise, but production of algal biofuels are not yet economically viable on a commercial scale. The flocculation and dewatering methods that Dr. Stewart is studying could help to reduce the price of separation and removal of water in the processing of algal biofuels.Dr. Stewart will be working with collaborators Kathryn Coyne of the University of Delaware and Doug Hicks, Department of Chemical Engineering Technology at Delaware Technical and Community College. Dr. Stewart will also be building an exhibit to include in "Coast Day," a public outreach event at the University of Delaware.This project is supported under the NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability Fellows (SEES Fellows) program, with the goal of helping to enable discoveries needed to inform actions that lead to environmental, energy and societal sustainability while creating the necessary workforce to address these challenges. With SEES Fellows support, this project will enable a promising early career researcher to establish themselves in an independent research career related to sustainability.