2006 News

October 16, 2006: GCIPR Joins CEBC

CEBC’s newest industrial partner is the Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable (GCIPR).  Affiliated with the American Chemical Society, the GCIPR is a coalition between the Green Chemistry Institute and pharmaceutical corporations united by a shared commitment to integrate the principles of green chemistry and engineering into the business of drug discovery and production.  Acting on behalf of its constituents, the GCIPR is a strong organization to prioritize research needs and influence research agendas, to interact with federal and international agencies and organization, and to improve cost effectiveness of investment in the design and implementation of green chemistry and engineering tools specific to the industry.

August 3, 2006: CEBC Reaches out to High School Teachers

RET participants Jeremy Way (left) and Jo McCormick.

Two Kansas City area high school science teachers, Jeremy Way and Jo McCormick, spent six weeks this summer learning about and participating in the most recent discoveries in “green” chemistry and chemical engineering research at CEBC.

One of the major goals of this “Research Experiences for Teachers” (RET) program was to help these teachers revitalize their curriculum with the development of innovative lesson plans and hands-on science activities that integrate engineering and technology concepts. The teachers worked collaboratively to translate their research experiences into inquiry-based activities that can be used in their chemistry classes in the upcoming year, and will be posted on the CEBC web site for dissemination.

Jointly mentored by faculty in chemistry and chemical engineering, they developed a truly inquiry-based interactive laboratory project on biodiesel that will introduce their students to the principles of green engineering and green chemistry. They tested their activities on a group of high school students attending a summer “Survivor” engineering camp at KU, providing immediate and beneficial feedback on lesson plans. The teachers also contributed to research focused on CO₂-expanded solvent media and collected video footage that can be incorporated into lesson plans in the future.

These ambitious teachers work at two public schools with very different demographic student populations. Jo McCormick teaches at Washington High School, Kansas City, KS, and Jeremy Way teaches at Mill Valley High School, Shawnee, KS. The two worked as partners throughout the summer where they developed a mutually beneficial professional relationship that will continue beyond their work at CEBC.

August 1, 2006: Claudia Bode and Javier Guzman join CEBC team

June 2, 2006: CEBC Faculty Win NSF CAREER Awards

May 1, 2006: ADM project latest in series of university/industry collaborations

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently funded a joint research project with CEBC in the area of converting biomass to value added products. ADM, who is also one of twelve full members of CEBC and participates on its advisory board, chose CEBC because of the expertise and the unique infrastructure developed at the center. Such projects, which are conducted independently of federally funded research projects, allow companies to pursue novel ideas while maintaining the confidentiality of the research. Other companies with ongoing/past joint research projects with CEBC include Abbott Laboratories, DuPont, Engelhard, ExxonMobil, Procter & Gamble, and Rohm & Haas.

CEBC welcomes the new members and looks forward to mutually beneficial associations.

April 13, 2006: CEBC Collaborator wins PNNL Inventor of the Year

Dr. Yong Wang, a flexible outreach partner with CEBC, was named the 2005 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Inventor of the Year. Dr. Wang has collaborated with CEBC in the area of heteropoly acids as solid acid catalysts. More information can be found on PNNL's web page.