Two Environmental Engineering PhD students (Claire Muerdter, advised by Greg LeFevre) and Hannah Molitor (advised by Jerry Schoor) received Iowa Space Grant awards.
Muerdter's project is titled: "Pollution Processing by Vegetation: Protecting Water, Food, and Environmental Quality." She describes her research in the following way:
"Space travel takes place in closed-loop systems, which benefit from vegetation that produces food and treats waste. My research addresses both functions." Read more about Muerdter's project.
Molitor's project is titled "Microalgae as a nutritious cattle feed supplement to sequester carbon dioxide and recover nutrients from wastewater." She describes her research in the following way:
"Conventional agriculture places significant demands on natural resources and is generally inefficient. As organisms with tolerance for varied conditions, microalgae (single-cell photosynthetic microorganisms) are a promising alternative to conventionally grown soy for more rapidly and sustainably produced protein-rich animal feed." Read more about Molitor's project.
About the Iowa Space Grant Consortium
A part of NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program since 1990, the ISGC continually strives to improve and inspire Iowa’s future in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The ISGC supports aerospace research, education, and outreach activities for all Iowans through five program categories: internships, fellowships, scholarships; higher education; research infrastructure; precollege; and informal education.
The ISGC carries out its goals with the help of six universities across the state of Iowa, as well as a number of private industry, educational and government organizations, and science museums. Funding from the ISGC for grants and projects is allocated through our affiliates.