In Fall 2012, the Southeastern Sun Grant Center announced the availability of its regional competitive grants program with a Request for Applications, which was sent to key contacts at all land-grant universities in the region.
In total, 76 full proposals were submitted by the submission deadline. Full proposals were received from 11 different land-grant universities in the southeast region.
After extensive review by a panel from academic, business and government sectors with expertise in all the USDA research priority areas, 5 proposals were selected for funding.
Funded Proposals
- Synthetic Fuels from Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil Using an Inexpensive Catalyst – Jim Kastner, University of Georgia
- Adding Value to Switchgrass Biofuel Production by Removal and Utilization of the Non-Structural Compounds – Nicole Labbé, University of Tennessee
- Second Metal Promoted Nickel/Clay Catalysts for Tar Removal in Syngas – Mark Bricka, Mississippi State University
- Lignin as a Material Platform for Value-Added Macromolecules – Russell Gorga, North Carolina State University
- Elucidation of Feedstock-Microbe Interactions for Butanol Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass – Maobing Tu, Auburn University