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| * Birck Nanotechnology Center |
| * Swift Enterprises Ltd. |
October 9, 2008
Sen. Lugar meets with Purdue biofuels researchers, tour labs and Purdue Research Park
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
The Republican senator heard presentations from biofuel, biotechnology and hydrogen storage researchers at Purdue's Laboratory for Renewable Resource Engineering (LORRE) and Birck Nanotechnology centers in Discovery Park. He also toured facilities at Swift Enterprises Ltd., a Purdue Research Park-based company developing a lead-free, alternative aviation fuel.
Lugar met with Purdue President France A. Córdova and Victor L. Lechtenberg, vice provost for engagement, and joined a tour of research laboratories led by Alan Rebar, executive director of Purdue's Discovery Park.
After that, Lugar visited with Purdue alternative energy efforts from several faculty members in engineering and agriculture, including:
* Jay Gore, director of Discovery Park's Energy Center.
* Michael Ladisch, director of LORRE and an expert in bioprocess engineering focused on making ethanol production more efficient.
* Nancy Ho, research professor of chemical engineering and senior research scientist and group leader at LORRE who is examining genetically engineered yeast for ethanol production from organic materials. Ho also founded Green Tech America, an alternative energy company at the Purdue Research Park.
* Timothy Fisher, a nanotechnology expert in heat transfer and thermal management for applications in electronics and other devices.
* Bernie Tao, a specialist in bio-based renewable resources and products who is researching development of a soy-based jet fuel.
While at the Purdue Research Park, Lugar met with Joseph B. Hornett, Purdue Research Foundation senior vice president, treasurer and chief operating officer; and John and Mary Rusek, founders of Swift Enterprises.
Lugar and U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky on Tuesday (Oct. 7) participated in the Lugar-Visclosky Energy Forum and Expo at Purdue Calumet's Calumet Conference Center.
The event included a panel discussion with Andrew Hsu, director of the Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; Nate Mosier, professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue; and John DeCicco, senior fellow for automotive strategies at the Environmental Defense Fund.
Writers: Phillip Fiorini, (765) 496-3133, pfiorini@purdue.edu
Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192, casequin@prf.org
Sources: Sen. Richard G. Lugar, (202) 224-4814, senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov
Victor L. Lechtenberg, (765) 494-9095, vll@purdue.edu
Alan H. Rebar, (765) 496-6625, rebar@purdue.edu
Joseph B. Hornett, (765) 494-6072, jbhornett@prf.org
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION:
U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar watches as Purdue researcher Nancy Ho works in her laboratory in the A.A. Potter Engineering Center. Ho, a research professor in chemical engineering in the Laboratory for Renewable Resource Engineering, is examining genetically engineered yeast for ethanol production from organic materials. On Thursday (Oct. 9) Lugar met with several agriculture and engineering faculty members and toured alternative energy research laboratories in the Food Science Building and the Birck Nanotechnology Center. Lugar later visited with executives at the Purdue Research Park-based Swift Enterprises Ltd. (Purdue News Service photo/Andrew Hancock).
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