Loo, the Conway Assistant Professor in chemical and biological engineering, has received a prestigious 2024 Early Career Research Program award from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund her project is aimed at engineering a new type of electrolyte, which could lead to safer, cheaper and more energy-dense battery chemistries.
Some bacteria have features that make them good for understanding biology and for developing new technologies. For example, Zymomonas mobilis, Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, and Rhodobacter sphaeroides can convert carbon from plant fibers into liquid fuels and chemicals traditionally made from petroleum but need to be genetically modified to optimize their output. While straightforward genetic tools have been developed to modify Z. mobilis, it has been more challenging to modify the other two. In this study, researchers expanded the genetic toolkit for N. aromaticivorans and R. sphaeroides, making it easier to adjust the functions of individual genes.
Faculty with the Wisconsin Energy Institute are working with a mechanical engineering professor and industry partners to develop more sustainable heating systems for older buildings.
The goal is to use lignin to produce valuable aromatic chemicals – hexagonal molecules such as benzene, toluene, and xylene – that are currently derived from petroleum as part of the refining process. What sets the project apart is the new reactor design allows scientists to gather data that will help improve the process at larger scales.
WESTBY, WIS. — The University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering is a partner in a major new project led by Dairyland Power Cooperative that will create well-paying jobs, significantly reduce emissions and lower energy costs for rural Wisconsin communities.
Back in 2010, Jeff Vinokur was a college student with an interest in biofuels when he donned a rhinestone lab coat, busted some dance moves and launched a career as a science educator.
Despite thousands of discoveries, patents, and technological breakthroughs, many of the University of Wisconsin–Madison's greatest contributions have been basic research, the quest to better understand fundamental aspects of the world and provide the knowledge that underpin technological advances