Biorefining U: University-led programs answer a growing demand for biobased education

Biorefining Magazine
Posted October 07, 2010

Student A (as in, anybody from anywhere) is interested in all things bio, everything from biobased chemicals to biorefining. Student A is not alone. A growing number of high school, undergraduate and graduate level individuals are pursuing an education in bioenergy and biomaterials just like Student A, and the evidence is in the classroom. Look at the Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels (C2B2), a cooperative research and education center devoted to biomass conversion into fuels and other products. “During the past three years of the C2B2-Research Experience for Undergraduates program, the number of undergraduate student applicants has more than quadrupled from 60 to more than 260,” said C2B2 center coordinator Frannie Ray-Earle. “Student interest in renewable biofuel and biorefining technologies is growing exponentially.”

Companies are looking to build a new energy economy by producing biofuel products with energy efficient technologies and sustainable practices, said Ray-Earle, and to do so, she pointed out, “They will need our students as their future employees in order to stay on the cutting edge.” For the C2B2 program, the “they” interested in the students is virtually a who’s who in energy and transportation. Along with funding from the state and other universities, the program is already sponsored by Chevron Corp., Conoco Phillips, General Motors and Shell Global Solutions. Gevo and ZeaChem, two leading biorefinery developers, have also sponsored the program. Throughout the nation no other bioenergy program can boast more sponsor names than the C2B2 program, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t other university programs providing a quality bioenergy education.

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