NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) —The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences has taken its Mobile Biodiesel Education Demonstration (MBED) trailer on the road this fall, making stops at Cheatham County and Lebanon High Schools on Sept. 19 and Sept. 25, respectively. The MBED, which is a self-contained unit that allows for demonstration of the process that converts oils from feedstocks such as canola seed into usable biodiesel, will make another stop at Mt. Juliet High School on Friday, Oct. 3.
Dr. Jason de Koff, assistant professor of Bioenergy Crop Production, and Project Director for the MBED, noted the importance of the mobility of this project.
“By taking this demonstration on the road, we’ve been able to speak to hundreds of area high school students about the work that we’re doing at TSU in the area of biofuels,” de Koff said. “This demonstration in particular is an excellent example of the multiple facets and opportunities that exist with agriculture.”
In addition to exposing students to scientific processes that may not be typically associated with agriculture, the MBED also offers an opportunity to engage students in hands-on learning opportunities that can, according to Dr. de Koff, “bridge the gap between the textbook and the real world.”
The MBED is funded through a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. For more information about this or other biofuels-related activities within the CAHNS, contact Dr. de Koff at 615.963.4929, jdekoff@tnstate.edu, or on Twitter @TSUBioenergy.
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