TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry) fosters interaction between bioproducts engineering students, builds relationships with industry connections, and offers an opportunity to participate in national events, student newsletters, and other outreach activities. FaBEO is the student chapter of TAPPI and PIMA. For more information, contact TAPPI faculty advisor Ulrike Tschirner.
Projects Fall 2021
1) Practicing fermentation of Kombucha and making paper from the waste cellulose
2) Designing an outdoor system for (efficiently and cost effectively) growing algae outside and preventing contamination
Intended impact → make algae more economically viable as a bio-based feedstock for biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and more
Projects 2019-2020
1) Greens bubbler for the university student run organic farm, Cornercopia
What? A bathtub sized wash basin outfitted with our PVC pipe design and an air pump.
Why? The system creates air bubbles to agitate the water and wash dirt from greens produced at the farm.
Impact: Uses less water than washing by hand and saves workers time
2) Creating paper from the invasive species, buckthorn
Collaboration: A professor at UMN who bought goats to eat buckthorn on her property, makes soap bars from the goat milk, and wants buckthorn paper to package her goat milk soap.
(the professor also brought in supplies one day to make goat milk soap with FaBEO!)
Projects 2018-2019
1) Producing PHA plastic from coconut coir using microbes
Collaboration with Environmental Engineering Solutions, P.C.
Read more about the project.
2) Biofiltration of agricultural runoffs with biochar for HAFA (Hmong American Farmers Association)