| NSF Org: |
OISE Office of International Science and Engineering |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 1, 2014 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 1, 2014 |
| Award Number: | 1358110 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Cassandra Dudka
OISE Office of International Science and Engineering O/D Office Of The Director |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2014 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $249,938.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $249,938.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2 EAST LANSING MI US 48824-2600 (517)355-5040 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
San Jose CS |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | IRES Track I: IRES Sites (IS) |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.079 |
ABSTRACT
This program will train U.S. undergraduate students in engineering research through a 2-week study abroad course, a semester of mentoring in experimental design, and a 10-week research immersion at the University of Costa Rica. Protection of water quality is essential in countries like Costa Rica that rely on ecological resources for ecotourism and agricultural production. Many wastes, such as food and animal wastes, in Costa Rica can be converted into energy through anaerobic digestion; however, current practices yield wastewater that adversely affects the environment and potentially contaminates food crops. Using a novel system that includes a solar-assisted anaerobic digester and constructed treatment wetlands, students will research and develop integrated, ecologically-conscious systems for sustainable energy generation and water reclamation in Costa Rica. Ultimately, the goal of the project is to train 12 students in research, development, and design while increasing the workforce of globally-trained engineers in sustainable biological systems to produce clean energy and water.
Student research will optimize and develop integrated biodigester and wetland treatment systems for sustainable energy generation and water reclamation. The proposed project will advance knowledge of fundamental processes underlying anaerobic digestion and wetland treatment processes, crucially benefiting the future development of engineered biological systems. Research activities will focus on a novel system that has the potential to transform engineering approaches to decentralized wastewater treatment and energy generation. This system integrates solar heating, thermophilic digestion, and four types of constructed wetlands for treatment of combined food and manure wastes. Students will work with faculty with a variety of expertise, including agricultural engineering, biological engineering, microbiology, and chemistry. The proposed program will advance discovery while promoting training and learning for the 12 participants as well as the U.S. and Costa Rican students participating in the associated study abroad course, approximately 15 students per year.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The MSU NSF IRES program "Engineering biological sustainable solutions for clean energy and water in Costa Rica" trained 12 undergraduate students in international engineering research from project conception to execution through mentoring in experimental design in the U.S. and 10-week research immersion in Costa Rica (UCR). Students gained experience in both independent research and working internationally. Additionally, over 30 students studied "Ecological Engineering in the Tropics" in a two-week study abroad course that included both MSU and UCR students and faculty. Through this course, students learned how to work with peers from multiple disciplines and cultures.
Through the student research experiences, our collaborators in Costa Rica established foundational research projects to establish the Universdad de Costa Rica as a respected technical resource in Central America for knowledge on the engineering of sustainable biological systems to produce clean energy and water. Research projects included wetlands for the treatment of bionergy wastes, integration of solar and bioenergy technologies, baseline assessments of ecological diversity, tracking of antibiotic resistance during anaerobic digestion and wetlands treatment, and co-digestion of animal wastes and plant biomass. Students contributed to the research infrastructure at UCR by developing methods and designing and building pilot-scale systems for experimentation. Additionally, new faculty members at UCR were mentored by MSU faculty on supervising visiting research interns.
Last Modified: 12/03/2018
Modified by: Dawn M Reinhold
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