The NCERC at SIUE is expanding its research team with the addition of Dr. Arun Athmanathan, a postdoctoral fellow specializing in cellulosic and advanced biofuels research.
“Following a national search that generated candidates from premier research institutions across the country, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Athmanathan to the team,” NCERC Director John Caupert said. “Arun’s expertise is cellulosic biofuels research. His studies under biofuels pioneers such as Nathan Mosier, Mike Ladisch and Nancy Ho make him an excellent complement to our research division.”
Athmanathan has a broad range of experiences in the characterization and fermentation of many cellulosic and advanced feedstocks, including corn stover and sweet sorghum bagasse. Both are likely feedstocks that the NCERC research team will explore. He earned both master’s and doctoral degrees in agricultural and biological engineering from Purdue University’s College of Agriculture.
The Illinois Corn Marketing Board and SIUE partnered to provide seed funding for NCERC’s postdoctoral fellowship program. The funding came after the Center’s recent breakthroughs in corn kernel fiber conversion and feedstock characterization. Athmanathan and an additional postdoctoral fellow will work under Research Director Dr. Sabrina Trupia to extend upon the Center’s existing research and identify new areas of study.
“The NCERC continues to be an incredible asset to public and private researchers, and the biofuels industry as a whole,” ICMB Chairman and Okawville farmer Larry Hasheider said. “From accelerating the commercialization of new technologies to increasing production efficiency and developing value-added co-products, the NCERC has defined the cutting edge of biofuels research for more than a decade. We believe this investment will yield tremendous dividends for the biofuels and agriculture industries through continued research breakthroughs.”
In addition to the postdoctoral fellows, the NCERC also is expanding its research capabilities through a new faculty fellowship program. University faculty can apply for course buyouts in order to conduct collaborative research with the Center.
“We have already received tremendous interest from the University community in partnering on research projects,” Trupia said. “From biology to chemistry to economics to history, the response from SIUE faculty has been exciting. I encourage interested researchers in any department to continue contacting us with research proposals and to learn more about the Center’s capabilities.”
The Center is currently engaged in a search for a second postdoctoral fellow. That position is expected to be filled in early 2014.
Photo: Dr. Arun Athmanathan, a postdoctoral fellow at the NCERC at SIUE.