My Latest Projects
Utilization of Biosolids: Soil Fertilization & Energy Production
As my senior design project, my team and I looked at two different pathways to use the biosolids coming from the Clemson University wastewater treatment plant: using the biosolids as a fertilizer or using the biosolids as a feedstock to create electricity in a downdraft gasifier. With the increasing amount of waste in the world, we wanted to take away the label "waste" and replace it with "resource". This project gave us the opportunity to pull together our engineering, people, and logistical skills to create a closed loop system for the life cycle of biosolids. Moving into the professional world, I now have experience balancing the vision of a project with the practicality of it and am dedicated to producing quality work. Don't waste your waste!
Hydrogen Gas Production from Rotting Peaches
This creative inquiry allowed me to work with the microbe Thermatoga neapolitana to produce hydrogen gas from peaches, that would otherwise be wasted. Why not take advantage of materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill? I experienced the practical challenges of using equipment in a lab setting as well as the challenges of growing a hyperthermophilic and anaerobic microbe. This project focused on using a waste material to create hydrogen fuel, similar to my senior design, except this project using a microbial pathway whereas my senior design used a mechanical pathway. I love the premise of turning a waste material into a useful product, and I will never overestimate the in lab challenges of getting this process to happen in my future endeavors!
Plastic Eaters
Reducing the amount of plastic in the world is a cause that excites me! In this project, my group and I utilize the properties of a recently discovered microbe, Ideonella sakaiensis, to breakdown PET. The value of this projects rests on the stark need to remove plastic from the world because of its harmful effects. Modeling is an important step for anything to be done larger than lab scale, and this was the first experience I had using SuperPro Designer to apply microbial actions onto an industrial design. With the increasing amount of plastics and microplastics, I hope to continue working on projects that have the potential to impact the world in such a beneficial way.
Sequestering Atmospheric Carbon with Algal Growth
With the rising amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, Clemson University is interested in taking actions to mitigate their effects. As the "Sustainable Carbon Capture Intern" at Clemson University for a summer, I ran with the baton to take steps to repurpose an unused aquaculture center for algal growth. With the effects of climate change being felt more and more everyday, actions have to be taken to protect the human race; biological processes may be the only practical way to reduce the vast amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. While pursuing such a valuable goal of sequestering carbon, I learned how to help foster growth for algae and I learned what a healthy balance of a work schedule and personal life could look like. Going forward, I plan to continue working on projects that help complete natural elemental cycles as well as pursue a healthy life style.
A Microbial Fuel Cell from Scratch
Being my first project when I entered the Biosystems Engineering major, I can reflect on the amount that I have grown. In this project, I see a group of passionate undergraduates setting out on ominous mission to help care for the world. Our mission was to create a device that could be replicated anywhere with the presence of a single resistor to create electricity. Using the resistor, some old clothing, a piece of bamboo, reused wiring, and a material called biochar we created a microbial fuel cell. My old self had the same goal I do today, to help people across world. If I were to give advice to my past self, it would be, "Keep dreaming, be innovative, pay attention to who is affected, and make it happen." I hold these ideals at my core and plan to carry them with me wherever I go.