2012 OK EPSCoR Annual State Conference Presentations
Friday, March 30, 2012
Researchers from across the state gathered to highlight Oklahoma’s bioenergy research efforts during the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Annual State Conference on Tuesday, April 10, at the Wes Watkins Conference Center on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater.
Leaders in the bioenergy field engaged conference participants through presentations and discussion during an opening plenary session. Special guest presenters and their topics included:
- Chad Haynes, science and engineering technology advisor, U.S. Department of Energy, The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy: A New Paradigm in Transformational Energy Research
Watch the video
- Matthew Langholtz, natural resource economist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Overview of the U.S. Billion-Ton Update
Watch the video
- Phil Weathers, director of operations, RenTech Inc., From Research to Demonstration – The Rentech BioEnergy Center of Excellence
Watch the video
Conference attendees participated in a networking luncheon, where Kelvin Droegemeier, University of Oklahoma Vice President for Researach, and Uma D. Venkateswaran, National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR program director, shared information about NSF energy research directions and funding opportunities. (Watch videos of Dr. Droegemeier's and Dr. Venkateswaran's presentations.)
An afternoon panel session engaged audience members in a discussion of bioenergy sustainability in Oklahoma and the nation, led by speakers from throughout the day.
A scientific poster session and hybrid poster/oral presentation competition spotlighted research progress in the alternative energy field. Forty four posters were on display at the conference.
Hybrid poster competition winners were:
1st Place
Taiwo Omotoso, University of Oklahoma
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Steven Crossly, University of Oklahoma
Poster Topic: Influence of Ruthenium Titania Catalyst Pretreatment Conditions on the Upgrading of Biomass Fast-Pyrolysis Oil Vapors
2nd Place
Xin Zeng, Oklahoma State University
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ramamurthy Mahalingam, Oklahoma State University
Poster Topic: Gene Networks Associated with Tillering Traits in Switchgrass
3rd Place Runners-Up
David Ponder, University of Oklahoma
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laura Bartley, University of Oklahoma
Poster Topic: Investigating the Cell Wall Changes During Grass Lateral Root Emergence
Prakash Bhoi, Oklahoma State University
Faculty Mentors: Drs. Raymond Huhnke and Krushna Patil, Oklahoma State University
Poster Topic: Solubility of Major Producer Gas Tar Compounds in Water
Paula Zapata, University of Oklahoma
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daniel Resasco, University of Oklahoma
Poster Topic: Hydrophobic Zeolites for Biofuel Upgrading Reactions at the Liquid-Liquid Interface in Water/Oil Emulsions
Bioenergy investigators from Oklahoma and nearby states, EPSCoR external advisory board members and program officers from federal granting agencies participated in the event, which was hosted by Oklahoma EPSCoR, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the National Science Foundation.
Oklahoma EPSCoR’s central goal is to strengthen the state’s research competitiveness through strategic support of research instruments and facilities, multi-institutional research collaborations and integrated education and research programs. Through the EPSCoR program, researchers from Oklahoma State University, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the University of Oklahoma are working together to transform native switchgrass into an efficient alternative fuel.
View videos of the conference on YouTube
View all conference photos on our Flickr account
Presentation File(s):
