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Experiential Learning Activities for K-12 Outreach and Undergraduate Students involving Production and Utilization of Biodiesel

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Conference

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Columbus, Ohio

Publication Date

June 24, 2017

Start Date

June 24, 2017

End Date

June 28, 2017

Conference Session

Sustainability and Hands-On Activities

Tagged Division

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Page Count

19

DOI

10.18260/1-2--28322

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/28322

Download Count

754

Paper Authors

biography

Abhijit Nagchaudhuri University of Maryland Eastern Shore

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Dr. Abhijit Nagchaudhuri is currently a Professor in the Department of Engineering and Aviation Sciences at University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He is a member American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and, American Society for Agricultural and Biological Engineers(ASABE) and is actively involved in teaching and research in the fields of (i) robotics and mechatronics, (ii)remote sensing and precision agriculture, and,(iii) biofuels and renewable energy. He has published more than 70 refereed articles in journals and conference proceedings. Dr. Nagchaudhuri received his baccalaureate degree from Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India with honors in Mechanical Engineering. Thereafter, he worked in a multinational industry for a little over three years before joining Tulane University as a graduate student in the fall of 1987. He received master’s degree from Tulane University in 1989 and doctoral degree from Duke University 1992.

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biography

Madhumi Mitra Ph.D University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

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Dr. Madhumi Mitra is currently a professor of environmental sciences in the department of Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She is also the coordinator of Biology and Chemistry Education. Dr. Mitra is actively involved in teaching and research in the areas of biofuels and renewable energy; applications of algae in food and environment; and water quality. She has published several peer-reviewed articles in journals and conference proceedings, and is the recipient of various awards and competitive grants. Dr. Mitra received her baccalaureate degree from Presidence College in Kolkata, India with honors in Plant Biology, Geology, and Physiology. She received her master’s degree from University of Calcutta, India, and her doctoral degree from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC in 2002.

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Xavier Shastri Domnique Henry University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

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Xavier Henry is currently a lecturer in the Department of Engineering & Aviation Sciences at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).

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Abstract

A multidisciplinary team of students and faculty at University of Maryland Eastern Shore have been involved with making biodiesel from virgin and used cooking oils on campus. Biodiesel made with used cooking oil from campus dining services has been used for running farm equipment and a diesel generator to power a campus green-house and ongoing projects related to development of an Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system. The multidisciplinary team at UMES also partnered with Cornell and member universities of the National Bioenergy and Bioproducts Education Program (NBBEP) with support from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As part of the NBBEP, the UMES team developed a kit that could be used in K-12 settings without access to elaborate chemistry laboratories to make biodiesel from virgin cooking oil. The school teachers who have used the biodiesel kits in the K-12 settings have indicated that integrating the biodiesel production activity with its utilization in a transportation related activity will make the activity even more appealing to the students and provide richer learning outcomes. This paper outlines the biodiesel kit development efforts, its utilization in K-16 outreach activities integrated with NBBEP and other ongoing K-12 outreach efforts at UMES. The recent efforts in utilizing a biodiesel blend (with heptane and castor oil) that have been reported to work with glow engines, to fly on a model remote controlled fixed wing airplane is also highlighted. The assessment framework and lesson plan for the biodiesel kit were suitably adapted based on the success of the trials, and incorporated in the K-12 outreach efforts at UMES in 2016 summer.

Nagchaudhuri, A., & Mitra, M., & Henry, X. S. D. (2017, June), Experiential Learning Activities for K-12 Outreach and Undergraduate Students involving Production and Utilization of Biodiesel Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--28322

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