Food and Bioproducts Engineering Organization: TAPPI Student Chapter

1. Constructing and populating terrariums to explore the limits of contained biological systems
2. Propagating and cultivating mycelium to provide a sustainable alternative to high-density foam for design students

1. Designing and testing the properties of flax biocomposite, with the eventual goal of building a prototype wind turbine
2. Experimenting with various paper formulations to better understand the relationship between additive inputs and functional properties

1. Building an Arduino-controlled plant pot that automatically monitors and controls parameters like moisture and incident radiation
2. Continuing 2021 algae project under new leadership, extracting algae oil in a simple and cost-effective manner

1. Anaerobic Digestion: Testing different conditions and biomasses to see yields of biogas to determine best parameters
2. Mead Production: Testing parameters to determine the best biomass to ferment in alcohol 

1. Shredder and Extruder project has continued
2. A lignin based film was researched and produced which will then be used to coat ceiling tiles to prevent them from sagging and more effectively resist water damage.

1. Plastic Shredder and Extruder for 3D printer filament waste
   1. Acquired a previously made but not functioning shredder and extruder from Anderson Labs that was constructed as a capstone project, with the goal to be able to recycle 3D printer waste into new filament. Project involved modifying the machine so it is functional and adapted to our specific needs, and able to shred plastic.
2. Reused cooking oil to make biodiesel, soap, and candles.

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.

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!)

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)
   • Read more about the project.