Award Data

Video Demonstration of the Phase I Prototype: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsvXXII2zzw&index=5&list=PLVHqsnePfULrUf_-HwtRfwEYsb9patGd- Purpose: This project will develop and test Eco, an online multiplayer virtual environment and game designed to enhance middle school students' knowledge of ecology and environmental literacy. This is important because according to the 2011 National Assessment ...

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service describe cheatgrass as "the invader that won the West". This highly invasive annual grass is present or dominant on some 100 million acres in the Great Basin and Intermountain West and land managers estimate its spread is increasing by 12-14% annually. Cheatgrass (and its annual bromegrass relatives) are a principal driving force behind epi ...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a new directive for improving air quality standards for hydronic heater wood smoke emissions. Over a five-year period, the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) will prohibit the sale of a majority of existing log wood based hydronic heaters that are used for central heating. As large consumers of wood heat, small and midsize farms are ad ...

Producers of solid and liquid biofuels need to reduce both capital and operating costs to achieve unsubsidized cost parity with fossil fuels. Many biomass feedstocks destined for conversion platforms must be dried, however, the capital cost for dryers is high due to long residence times and the operating cost is high due to system inefficiencies. Consistent and reliable operation of biomass dryers ...