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Michael R. Ladisch, Ph.D., from Purdue's Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering, discusses how the evolution of transportation with a low carbon footprint will require commercialization of industrial processes that transform renewable lignocellulosic resources into second generation (Gen 2) liquid fuels. Ultimately, successful implementation of Gen 2 fuels will be based on policies that integrate technology, economics, infrastructure, and consumer behavior. The experience of the North and South American biofuel industries and a renewed availability of natural gas will help to bridge the gap between current energy usage and a more sustainable energy future. In the meantime, technology for renewable fuels must be made ready to facilitate build-out of a new industry. This talk will present my view of the framework within which Gen 2 technology is rapidly developing, and the role of new knowledge about lignocellulosic structure in the engineering of economic processes. The fundamental characteristics of catalytic processes that transform heterogeneous plant cell wall tissues into homogeneous fermentable substrates will be discussed together with their potential to reduce costs of cellulose conversion. Sponsored by the Chemical Engineering Department (http://www.engin.umich.edu/che) as a part of the Blue/Green Seminar Lecture Series. Speaker & Title: Michael R. Ladisch, Ph.D., Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering - Purdue Dr. Ladisch has 35 years experience in research in biofuels, renewable resources, and biotechnology. He has authored a graduate textbook (Bioseparations Engineering, Wiley, 2001), and co-authored an undergraduate textbook (Modern Biotechnology, Wiley, July, 2009), as well as publishing numerous journal papers, book chapters and abstracts. He has 20 patents granted or applied for. He has given over 200 papers, invited lectures, and presentations at national and international meetings. He was a member of the Alternative Liquid Transportation Fuels Panel and chaired the Bioprocess Engineering sub-group of the US National Academies that published a report on this topic in 2009. Dr. Ladisch's research includes bioprocess engineering, transformation of renewable resources into biofuels and bioproducts, and food safety. His fundamental studies address properties of proteins and living organisms at surfaces, microfluidic biosensor systems, bionanotechnology and bioseparations. Speaker Website: https://engineering.purdue.edu/LORRE/people/ladresume2.shtml Watch additional Lectures On Demand or join the discussion at http://mconnex.engin.umich.edu/lectures/
