The Intern Diaries: Derek Saxon
Derek Saxon is a junior chemistry major from Iron Mountain, Michigan. He is conducting research this summer on biopolymers with Professor Dean Katahira of the Chemistry Department at Ripon College as part of his involvement with the McNair Scholars Program. He is one of four Ripon College students sharing their stories of research internships and jobs over the course of this summer.
Form and Fungus
My search for a quality solvent continues. Last week I mentioned Ionic Liquids (ILs), which are great in theory, but their application can be expensive. Since they have not been experimented with to a great extent, it would be difficult to find the proper IL for my purpose without conducting numerous trials. Fructose still seems like a good candidate for the condensation polymerization, which loses water, because it can grow from either end of the molecule.
I received some inspiration this week from an article in the New Yorker. Gavin McIntyre and Eben Bayer are the founders of Ecovative Design, L.L.C. and co-inventors of a mycelium-based packing material. Their goal is to rid our world of plastics in favor of their all-natural material. The packing material takes agricultural waste and steam-pasteurizes it, adds a small amount of water and nutrients and injects mycelium pellets into a mold. After four days of sitting in the dark, the mycelium has grown through the substrate and is very similar to that of Styrofoam. The material, unlike Styrofoam, is fully compostable and takes about a month to degrade. They are able to produce this material at a relatively low cost and they do not waste any of the materials they produce. If you would like to read the full article from the New Yorker, you can find it: HERE.
These two innovators have opened the door to so many other biodegradable processes. Their dream to make modern-day plastics a thing of the past is a huge step in the right direction. Biocatalysis is a method that is extremely promising in the field of biopolymers. McIntyre and Bayer have shown that it is possible to take a brilliant biodegradable idea and turn it into large scale industry for a low cost.
Related Posts
Momentum students visit Jodi Gibson ’89 of the Milwaukee Zoological Society
Students participating in the summer Momentum Leadership Fellows Program took a field trip to the Milwaukee Zoo Aug. 11 and met with Jodi Gibson ’89, […]
Jacqueline Hanson ’23 wins one of 50 Order of Omega national scholarships
One of only 50 Order of Omega national scholarships was won by Jacqueline Hanson ’23 of DeForest, Wisconsin. Hanson says receiving the award was a […]
Auditions for two fall theatre productions to be held Aug. 29 and 30
The Ripon College Department of Theatre will hold open auditions and crew call Aug. 29 and 30 for plays scheduled for the fall semester. The […]
Julia Manor’s research focuses on empathy in dogs, humans
A research path for Julia Manor, associate professor of psychology, evolved during a light-hearted playtime. Manor had been playing with her children, who buried her […]