So, my fellowship’s in full swing and I’m working on putting a plan together for the module. I am working at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, NC with Drs. Keith Schimmel and Ghasem Shahbazi. In 2012, the university received a grant to launch a multidisciplinary approach to alternative fuel research. From that press release, “The National Science Foundation (NSF) Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) Bioenergy Center’s goal is to make biomass a more viable source of renewable energy by developing the basic science and technology that will make energy conversions more efficient and costs more affordable.”
My module will be used in the introductory chemistry unit on thermochemistry. Students will have the opportunity to see the production of biodiesel, analyze the quality of the product, and complete a feasibility study on the use of biodiesel as a replacement to traditional petroleum diesel. Students will also visit the Catawba County landfill site, where crops are being grown and harvested on site and then used for biodiesel production. The unit engages students in a real-world, current event situation and they will gather information in order to make an informed opinion about the future of this alternative fuel source. Some of the curriculum will be developed with high school students attending summer camps at A&T in July.
My mentors:
Dr. Keith Schimmel is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chair of the Department of Energy and Environmental Systems. Dr. Schimmel serves as Director of the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Energy & Environmental Systems (EES). He has helped to develop an Atmospheric Science Concentration in the EES doctoral program, a B.S. Program in Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology, and a course on Weather and Climate. His research interests are engineering education, pollution prevention, biodegradable plastics, bioremediation, liquid membranes, and membrane devices.
Dr. Ghasem Shahbazi is a Professor and Director of Biological Engineering Program. Dr. Shahbazi has 20 years of experience with bioenergy and bioprocess engineering research. He has worked with the production of biofuels such as ethanol through fermentation of various food processing wastes, cereal grain, and woody biomass. He is also involved in value-added product development such as organic acids and biodegradable plastics. He has conducted renewable energy training and workshops in Brazil, Egypt, Jamaica, Senegal and South Africa.
And me:
Marci Harvey is a chemistry and physics teacher at West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, NC. I have been teaching in NC for 17 years. I graduated with a BS in chemistry from the College of Charleston and a MS in chemistry from the University of South Carolina. I began as a lateral entry teacher and have since been certified in high school and middle school science. I earned my National Board certification in 2008 in AYA science/chemistry and I am a 2013-14 Kenan Fellow. At school, I serve on the School Improvement Team, the accreditation team, and I am the Junior/Senior prom sponsor.