November 2011 - Ese-faculty-list

Master's Defense - Saveev Erangu Purath Mohankumar
by Musser, Christal A. 28 Nov '11

28 Nov '11

Sajeev Erangu Purath Mohankumar Master's Defense Ecological Sciences and Engineering Civil Engineering [cid:image001.jpg@01CCADB7.A607C810] November 30th, 10:30 AM, KRAN 661 Greenhouse gas emissions of cellulosic biofuels: A field to wheel analysis Abstract The production of biofuel feedstocks result in greenhouse gas fluxes to the atmosphere as a result of fertilizer application, land management practices and land use changes. While the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with feedstock conversion to liquid fuels through final combustion are fairly well understood, emissions from agricultural lands used to grow feedstocks for biofuel production continue to be poorly accounted for in life cycle assessment. There exists a lot of variability in the results reported to date due to dependence of trace gas fluxes on soil, weather, management practices and plant type. This study evaluates the soil biogeochemical model DAYCENT for 6 bioenergy cropping systems and provides a framework for calculating the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with biofuel production. This approach is applied to 2 counties in Indiana to explore the greenhouse gas fluxes associated with cellulosic feedstocks; corn stover, miscanthus and switchgrass. Results indicate the potential of cellulosic feedstocks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also the need to account for land emissions to correctly simulate trace gas fluxes from biofuel cropping systems. Christal Musser Program Coordinator Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Purdue University Hansen Room 114 201 S. University Street West Lafayette, IN 47907 765-494-2102 musser(a)purdue.edu<mailto:musser@purdue.edu> http://www.purdue.edu/dp/ese

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2011 ESE Symposium Poster Competition Winners
by Musser, Christal A. 22 Nov '11

22 Nov '11

Congratulations to the 2011 ESE Symposium Poster Competition winners! Please share with your department/program. Everyone that participated did an excellent job! Sorry if you received this twice. Graduate 1st Place Title: Discovering Material Recovery Scenarios for Industrial Machinery: A Case-Based Approach Authors: William Z. Bernstein, Devarajan Ramanujan, Mikko Koho, Fu Zhao, Karthik Ramani Program / Department: Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering (Tampere University of Technology), and Environmental and Ecological Engineering 2nd Place Title: An Experimental Investigation of Coal and Biomass Gasification in a Laboratory Scale Optically Accessible Gasifier Authors: Indraneel Sircar, Anup Sane, Brent Rankin, Rohan Gejji, Daniel Guildenbecher, Robert Lucht and Jay P. Gore Program / Department: Mechanical Engr. 3rd Place Title: Parameterization of Perennial Bioenergy Feedstock Grasses Miscanthus x giganteus and Upland Shawnee Switchgrass Cultivar in the SWAT Model Using a Multi-Disciplinary Approach Authors: Elizabeth Trybula, Cibin Raj, Jennifer Burks, Indrajeet Chaubey, Sylvie Brouder, and Jeff Volenec Program / Department: Ecological Sciences and Engineering, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Agronomy, Political Science, and Earth and Atmospheric Science Undergraduate 1st Place Title: Effects of Surface Coal Mining on Stream Flow in Island Branch Watershed in the Southern Appalachian Forest Region Author: Stephen Kelly Program / Department: Environmental and Ecological Engineering 2nd Place Title: Algae: A Solution for Limiting Nutrient Runoff Authors: Alexandro Bazan, Kelly Eastman and Christopher Klinkhamer Program / Department: Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences 3rd Place Title: Biodigesters as a Source of Alternative Energy Production Authors: Ben Veenhuizen, Ethan Slagle, Dan Kotek, and Kirk Alter Program / Department: Building Construction Management Thank you, Christal Musser Program Coordinator Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Purdue University Hansen Room 114 201 S. University Street West Lafayette, IN 47907 765-494-2102 musser(a)purdue.edu<mailto:musser@purdue.edu> http://www.purdue.edu/dp/ese

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2011 ESE Symposium Poster Competition Winners
by Musser, Christal A. 22 Nov '11

22 Nov '11

Congratulations to the 2011 ESE Symposium Poster Competition winners! Please share with your department/program. Everyone that participated did an excellent job! Graduate 1st Place Title: Discovering Material Recovery Scenarios for Industrial Machinery: A Case-Based Approach Authors: William Z. Bernstein, Devarajan Ramanujan, Mikko Koho, Fu Zhao, Karthik Ramani Program / Department: Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering (Tampere University of Technology), and Environmental and Ecological Engineering 2nd Place Title: An Experimental Investigation of Coal and Biomass Gasification in a Laboratory Scale Optically Accessible Gasifier Authors: Indraneel Sircar, Anup Sane, Brent Rankin, Rohan Gejji, Daniel Guildenbecher, Robert Lucht and Jay P. Gore Program / Department: Mechanical Engr. 3rd Place Title: Parameterization of Perennial Bioenergy Feedstock Grasses Miscanthus x giganteus and Upland Shawnee Switchgrass Cultivar in the SWAT Model Using a Multi-Disciplinary Approach Authors: Elizabeth Trybula, Cibin Raj, Jennifer Burks, Indrajeet Chaubey, Sylvie Brouder, and Jeff Volenec Program / Department: Ecological Sciences and Engineering, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Agronomy, Political Science, and Earth and Atmospheric Science Undergraduate 1st Place Title: Effects of Surface Coal Mining on Stream Flow in Island Branch Watershed in the Southern Appalachian Forest Region Author: Stephen Kelly Program / Department: Environmental and Ecological Engineering 2nd Place Title: Algae: A Solution for Limiting Nutrient Runoff Authors: Alexandro Bazan, Kelly Eastman and Christopher Klinkhamer Program / Department: Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences 3rd Place Title: Biodigesters as a Source of Alternative Energy Production Authors: Ben Veenhuizen, Ethan Slagle, Dan Kotek, and Kirk Alter Program / Department: Building Construction Management Thank you, Christal Musser Program Coordinator Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Purdue University Hansen Room 114 201 S. University Street West Lafayette, IN 47907 765-494-2102 musser(a)purdue.edu<mailto:musser@purdue.edu> http://www.purdue.edu/dp/ese

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GRE Score Scale Changed
by Musser, Christal A. 22 Nov '11

22 Nov '11

ESE Faculty - Effective August 1, 2011, the GRE score scale changed from 200-800 to 130-170 for the Verbal and Quantitative sections; the Analytical Writing score scale has not changed. New Score Scale: Verbal Reasoning: 130 - 170 score scale reported in 1-point increments Quantitative Reasoning: 130 - 170 score scale reported in 1-point increments Analytical Writing: score will continue to be reported on the same 0 - 6 score scale in half-point increments A comparison of the scores on the prior scale with the scores on the current scale is located at: http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concordance_information.pdf Please note as you are looking at ESE applications that some student may be submitting GRE Scores from the old scale (200-800) and some will be from the new scale (130-170). Please contact me if you have any questions and as I learn more about the new GRE scale I will be sure to pass it along. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Christal Musser Program Coordinator Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Purdue University Hansen Room 114 201 S. University Street West Lafayette, IN 47907 765-494-2102 musser(a)purdue.edu<mailto:musser@purdue.edu> http://www.purdue.edu/dp/ese

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PhD Defense Announcement
by Musser, Christal A. 21 Nov '11

21 Nov '11

Suman Maity PhD Defense Ecological Sciences and Engineering Forestry and Natural Resources Studying the Physiology of Declining Diporeia Populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes Using Metabolomics [cid:image003.png@01CCA84A.6FC3C910] Wednesday, November 30, 2011 10:00 a.m. Pfendler Hall, Room 120 Christal Musser Program Coordinator Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Purdue University Hansen Room 114 201 S. University Street West Lafayette, IN 47907 765-494-2102 musser(a)purdue.edu<mailto:musser@purdue.edu> http://www.purdue.edu/dp/ese

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Masters Seminar - Stephanie Frank
by Musser, Christal A. 16 Nov '11

16 Nov '11

[cid:image002.jpg@01CCA44E.5E252A00]USING FUZZY LOGIC AND SPECTRAL RESPONSES TO ESTIMATE AND DIGITALLY MAP SOIL ORGANIC CARBON IN A RECENTLY GLACIATED LOESS MANTLED LANDSCAPE will be discussed by Stephanie Frank 1:00 p.m., Monday, November 21, 2011 in Rawls, Room 2058 Major Professor: Phillip Owens This is the candidate's scheduled M.S. thesis examination. Graduate students and faculty are invited and encouraged to attend the first part of the examination when a synopsis of the research will be presented. Abstract: The USDA Soil Survey has been mapping soils in the United States for nearly a hundred years. In the age of technology, high quality, continuous soil property information is needed for a variety of purposes, including policy decision making, precision agrosystems management, environmental modeling, and others. Due to recent global climate change research, quantification of soil organic carbon (SOC) has increased importance. Soil organic carbon estimates are currently represented as one value for a mapping unit with discreet boundaries rather than a more representative continuous map of the SOC. The study area is a 14 digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) watershed having an area of just over 13,000 acres located in central Indiana that was glaciated until approximately 18,000 years ago and is part of the loess mantled, rolling glacial till plain. Several studies have demonstrated that SOC is closely related to landscape, and the Soil-Land Inference Model (SoLIM), a freely available fuzzy logic based model, was selected to create a continuous map of SOC to a depth of 50 cm. Digital elevation model (DEM) derived terrain attributes were used to determine landscape components for geomorphic positions, and study sites were selected to capture the different components. Samples were obtained to a depth of 50 cm with all sites sampled at 0-5 cm and then by genetic horizon. The SOC was determined by dry combustion and was reported as percent carbon. In previous work, conceptual models of soil formation applied by an expert soil scientist to the study area have provided the necessary input information into the SoLIM. The important terrain attributes for soil formation and their corresponding 50% membership values serve as the inputs into the SoLIM. In order to remove some of the subjectivity in soil maps, statistical methods, such as stepwise multiple linear regression and k-means clustering, combined with expert soil scientist knowledge were used to create a SOC property map. The expert user knowledge method and the stepwise linear regression method were compared and were used to select from a suite of 19 DEM derived terrain attributes those that are most important for predicting SOC. The k-means clustering algorithm was used to help partition each terrain attribute into meaningful clusters. All clusters were combined to produce meaningful soil classes. The terrain attribute cluster data for each class was used as the input in the SoLIM. Different quantile intervals were used as the 50% membership values in order to find the optimal 50% membership values. The sum squared error (SSE) was used to measure the effectiveness of each model. The model with the minimum SSE was selected as the best model for predicting SOC. A stepwise regression model using 10%/90% quantile intervals ultimately produced the best model for the area. The model provided a satisfactory map of SOC based on expected SOC distribution and SSE and provided information to further work relating SOC to landscapes.

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FW: [NCSE University Affiliates] November Newsletter
by Lee, Linda S 10 Nov '11

10 Nov '11

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online<http://e2ma.net/map/view:CampaignPublic/id:1401437.7337504460/rid=ea042f7dc…>. Share This: [http://app.e2ma.net/media/themes/default/img/socialnetworks/email.png] <http://social.e2ma.net/next/e/1401437/dad137648f836f6535cdfafda57541d9/7337…> [http://e2ma.net/userdata/1401437/images/xlarge/e1253811324.jpg]<http://e2ma.net/go/7337504460/208735732/226618335/1401437/goto:http:/ncseon…> University Affiliate Update November 2011 In this first issue of the academic year, we feature upcoming conferences and resources for members of our University Affiliate Program<http://e2ma.net/go/7337504460/208735732/226618383/1401437/goto:http:/ncseon…>. NCSE's 12th National Conference: Environment and Security [http://e2ma.net/userdata/1401437/images/medium/e1317832007.jpg] Deadline Extended to November 28 for Poster Session Submission! Posters provide a great opportunity for faculty and students to share research, innovation, and initiatives relevant to the intersection of security and the environment. The fee is waived for NCSE's University Affiliate Schools<http://e2ma.net/go/7337504460/208735732/226618384/1401437/goto:http:/ncseon…>. Registration for conference is mandatory for poster submission. Please click here<http://e2ma.net/go/7337504460/208735732/226618385/1401437/goto:http:/www.en…> for more details. Students may use the complimentary registrations distributed by CEDD representatives<http://e2ma.net/go/7337504460/208735732/226618386/1401437/goto:http:/ncseon…>. If the number of individuals from member schools surpasses the allotted number of complimentary registrations, the code: EXTRA2012 can be used for a discounted rate of $250. For questions about poster sessions please contact: conference(a)ncseonline.org<mailto:conference@ncseonline.org>. Assessment of Interdisciplinary Environmental Programs [http://e2ma.net/userdata/1401437/images/medium/e1320944855.jpg] NCSE landmark 2010 report, Interdisciplinary Environmental Education on the Nation's Campuses: Elements of Field Identity and Curriculum Design, describes the findings of the first national study of interdisciplinary environmental programs. Authored by Dr. Shirley Vincent, NCSE Director of Educational Research, the report provides an overview of the field and a framework for understanding the wide variety of interdisciplinary environmental degree programs. The report identifies ten key components of knowledge and skills for ideal environmental curricula and three broad ideal educational approaches. NCSE now offers customized consulting services, provided by Dr. Vincent, based on the findings of the study in addition to ongoing research of environmental and sustainability degree program curricula, program administrative structures, assessment and workforce alignment processes. The NCSE is currently updating its programs' census in preparation for a new survey and study that will be launched in January 2012. Stay tuned for preliminary results of the census to be presented at the January CEDD meeting and for the survey analysis and results later in the year. For more information contact: sbunn(a)ncseonline.org<mailto:sbunn@ncseonline.org> CAMEL (Climate, Adaptation, Mitigation, E Learning) [http://e2ma.net/userdata/1401437/images/medium/e1320872748.jpg] NCSE's and CEDD's climate change education project, CAMEL, is maturing and its extensive taxonomy is being populated with various climate change curricular resource types and multi-media tools. You are encouraged to join the community of educators who are engaged in interdisciplinary education about climate change, including mitigation and adaptation. The community is able to use the site to create and share their own resources with other educators. www.camelclimatechange.org<http://e2ma.net/go/7337504460/208735732/226618387/1401437/goto:http:/www.ca…> 1101 17th St NW Suite 250 | Washington, DC 20036 US This email was sent to lslee(a)purdue.edu<mailto:lslee@purdue.edu>. To ensure that you continue receiving our emails, please add us to your address book or safe list. manage<http://e2ma.net/app/view:Manage/signupId:1405077/id:1401437.7337504460/rid:…> your preferences | opt out<http://e2ma.net/app/view:OptOut/ID:1401437.7337504460/signupId:1405077/rid:…> using TrueRemove(tm) Got this as a forward? Sign up<http://e2ma.net/app/view:Join/signupId:1405077/acctId:1401437/mailingId:208…> to receive our future emails. [http://e2ma.net/userdata/20050/images/templates/nfg_emma_logo.gif] EmailNow powered by Emma<http://e2ma.net/go/7337504460/208735732/226618388/1401437/goto:http:/www1.n…>

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FW: ESE Symposium After Party Social - Harry's Chocolate Shop 8-10pm TONIGHT!
by Musser, Christal A. 09 Nov '11

09 Nov '11

ESE Faculty, Staff and Students, Thanks to everyone who came out and helped make this years symposium a great success! Come join ESE celebrate at Harry's Chocolate Shop (2nd Floor) from 8-10pm on Wednesday after the last symposium event. Feel free to bring someone (as long as they are over 21). See you there! Symposium Planning Crew -- Jennifer Roath, EIT Graduate Student 2012 Ecological Sciences and Engineering - Interdisciplinary Graduate Program Agricultural and Biological Engineering Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana jroath(a)purdue.edu<mailto:jroath@purdue.edu>

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SPRING 2011 MGMT 69000 EcoVillage project (New Experimental Learning Initiative between Krannert and ESE)
by Lee, Linda S 02 Nov '11

02 Nov '11

MGMT 69000 EcoVillage project (Registration is not open yet for this) (New Experimental Learning Initiative between Krannert and ESE) Variable credit. Action Item: After reading below, if you are interested as a student or faculty member, please email me by November 14th. We will follow up with an information session to provide details to all the questions I know you may have. *** ESE has partnered with Krannert's Experimental Learning Initiative (ELI) led by Professor Matthew Lynall (general ELI information link below) to address the feasibility of an EcoVillage project with the town of Roachdale, IN (Roachdale representatives approached Purdue about becoming involved). (http://www.krannert.purdue.edu/programs/masters/life/ELI/ELI_Home.asp There are three thrusts to their vision: 1. Economic Re-Vitalization - with the decline in local retail (e.g. grocery, hardware), they have increasingly become a dormitory community for the younger to middle-aged generation, while local employment is trending towards the older population. 2. Sustainability - This will be a cornerstone of their redevelopment plan and their new identity as an EcoVillage. 3. Social community - I am told the town does have a strong sense of community and this is a strength that they want to leverage, although this will be partially driven by their success and focus in the above areas. For the Spring 2012 semester, the focus will be on the first two areas - economic revitalization and sustainability. In each of these areas, students would conduct an objective assessment of their current capabilities and resources, examine successful (and unsuccessful) initiatives in the US and elsewhere, help them develop a more concrete vision, and structure a high level plan to get there. In Fall 2012 Fall, student teams would work with them on selected elements of the implementation plan. A team of ~ 10 students (60/40 MBA/ESE) is desired with the group split into 2 subteams to focus on one of the two areas targeted for Spring 2012. Students would enroll in MGMT 69000 for 1 to 4 credits depending on the amount of time they can contribute. Teams are semester specific and being on a team in the Spring does not commit you to future semesters. Each team will have a few faculty advisors from both MBA and ESE. If you are interested as a student or faculty member, please email me by November 14th. We will follow up with an information session to provide details to all the questions I know you may have. Linda S. Lee Ecological Science & Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Program Head http://www.purdue.edu/ese/ Professor, Environmental Chemistry, http://www.agry.purdue.edu/staffbio/lslbio.htm Associate Head, Purdue University, Department of Agronomy Crop Soil & Environmental Sciences 915 W. State Street, 3-363 Lilly Hall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054 Office: (765) 494-8612; Fax (765) 496-2926; Cell: (765) 414-3086

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Need - Poster Judges for the ESE Symposium Poster Session (10-noon) on Nov 9
by Lee, Linda S 31 Oct '11

31 Oct '11

Several of you have already agreed to serve as judges, but the poster committee told me they need more volunteers. Please let Garett Pignotti (cc'd on this email) if you are willing to serve as a judge. For reference, the agenda for the symposium is below. 2011 ESE Symposium Agenda Discovery Park DLRC Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 6:00PM - 7:00PM Symposium Kickoff Dinner 7:00PM - 8:00PM Keynote Speaker<http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/ese/symposium/speakers.html> John Seager, President and CEO of Population Connection Part of the Discovery Park Lecture Series Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 10:00AM - 12:00PM Graduate and Undergraduate Poster Session 11:30AM - 12:30PM Lunch Buffet and Snacks 12:30PM - 2:00PM Technical Sessions 1 & 2 1. Sustainable Energy: Policy, Economy, and the Environment<http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/ese/symposium/speakers.html#sustainable> 2. Population Centers: Environmental Challenges in an Urban Reality<http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/ese/symposium/speakers.html#population> 2:15PM - 3:45PM Technical Sessions 3 & 4 3. Agricultural Challenges: When Food, Energy, and Ecosystems Compete<http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/ese/symposium/speakers.html#agricultural> 4. The Bottom 2 Billion: Is Science and Engineering Leaving Them Behind?<http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/ese/symposium/speakers.html#bottom> 7:00PM - 8:00PM Screening of the film Mother: Caring for 7 Billion Location: EE Room 170 Free popcorn will be provided. Sponsored by the Ecological Sciences and Engineering-IGP, the Environmental Science Club, and Boiler Green Initiative in collaboration with the Agronomy Club Linda S. Lee Ecological Science & Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Program Head http://www.purdue.edu/ese/ Professor, Environmental Chemistry, http://www.agry.purdue.edu/staffbio/lslbio.htm Associate Head, Purdue University, Department of Agronomy Crop Soil & Environmental Sciences 915 W. State Street, 3-363 Lilly Hall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054 Office: (765) 494-8612; Fax (765) 496-2926; Cell: (765) 414-3086

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