EU-FIPSE Exchange Program Renewable Resources and Clean Technologies

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EU-FIPSE Exchange Program Renewable Resources
and Clean Technologies
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The UW Campus
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U Washington, Quick Facts http//www.washington.e
du http//www.washington.edu/newsroom/profile/qui
ckfacts.html

• EU students qualify for visiting Graduate
  student status if in 3rd or more year at
  University
• UW 3 campuses, Seattle Campus 250 hectare, 218
  buildings
• Instructional Faculty 6,100
• Faculty and Staff 27,600
• 2005 Autumn Student Enrollment 42,974
• (39,251 on Seattle campus)?
• Undergraduate students 25,469?
• Graduate and professional students 11,763?
• Nonmatriculated students 2,019
• Extension Enrollment 26,444

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UW information for foreign students

• All application information, good usability at
• UW Office of International Programs and Exchanges
  (IPE)
• particularly Ms Tina Wong
• IPE sponsors local Foundation for International
  Understanding Through Students (FIUTS)
• http//www.fiuts.washington.edu/
• source for home stays, lodging, activities,
  etc

http//www.ipe.washington.edu/
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Seattle, WA
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Study possibilities?

• UW has quarter system (3 months/quarter)
• approx 15 Sep-15 Dec (Autumn Quarter) 3 d
• approx 3 Jan - 15 Mar (Winter Qtr) 3 d
• approx 15 Mar - 12 June (Spring Qtr) 3 d
• Courses descriptions, learning materials
  available on the web at http//www.washington.edu
• course offerings change all the time, instructors
  change
• therefore, have a secondary plan
• Research projects taken as courses (1 quarter is
  short)
• supervisory professors are usually flexible to
  accommodate students in the their research

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Prof. William McKeanPaper Science and
Engineering, Chemical Engineering
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Example - Pulping of non-wood renewable crops and
residues (Autumn 2005) - Gent student

• Make and measure pulp from wheat straw, giant
  reed, recycled papers

• Work on lab to pilot scale processes

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Prof. Sharon DotyCollege of Forestry, Plant
Genetics
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Genetic modification of non-food plants- to
reduce lignin content

• Arundo Donax pulp to paper

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Develop analysis and removal methods for
ferulic,coumaric acids from annual plant residues
to improve pulping
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Road application of lignosulfonates (LS) for
road dust supression (K. Vervisch)

• How much LS irreversibly absorbed to the adjacent
  soil?
• How fast are the LS degraded? What chemicals are
  formed?
• How fast are the LS degraded?
• What chemicals are formed?

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Student (K. Vervisch) Conclusions

• LS and Humic acids interact at acidic pH.Higher
  amounts of LS leached out in alkaline zone than
  in acid zone.
• Humic acids soluble in acid solutions and
  insoluble in alkaline solutions
• LS leached out 8.4 - 12.7is in conflict with
  previous research where 70 LS were leached out.

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Prof. Francois Baneyxsee www.washington.edu

• Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering
• Molecular Biology
• Bioreactors
• Student Camille Romanik, France

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Genetic Modification of protein to obtain
flourescence when conjugated (Romanik)

• MalE -- maltose binding protein designed to
  contain a silver binding peptide at its
  C-terminus.
• Work realised genetically engineer this protein
  so be able to be conjugated to a fluorescent dye.
• An amino acid, placed as far as possible of the
  silver binding peptide will be replaced by a
  cysteine residue (MalE doesnt have any naturally
  occurring cysteine residue) to which the
  fluorescent dye will be conjugated.
• Outcome create hybrid molecules with enhanced
  one photon emission and and two photon cross
  section for optically limiting applications.
• Methods used
• Techniques of cell culture Design of primers
  mutagenesis
• Purification of plasmid DNA by alkaline lysis
  PCR
• Electrophoresis analysis Purification of the
  protein on amylose resin column
• Seven mutants designed. Two of them have now been
  conjugated to the dye and will be analysed
  (Raman).

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Projects have in common

• lab activities, some small scale, some larger
  scale equipment
• report writing
• presentation to lab group and faculty
• graded

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Practical stay considerationsUniversity of
Washington, Seattle

• Students said better to go for longer time
• Students found rooms for 400-500/month
• Ate at restaurants rather than prepare food so
  food was somewhat expensive
• FIUTS, Homestays very helpful
• Learning agreement in advance may have to be
  modified by actual course enrollment, instructor
  changes
• Bus pass, intermural athletics very appreciated

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EU - US Exchange Contact persons

• Prof. Krieger-Brockett is UW Contact regarding
  information on program, who is doing what
  research at UW
• emails (use both)
• bb2906_at_comcast.net
• krieger_at_cheme.washington.edu
• VISA, UW application requirements handled by
  www.ipe.washington.edu
• Graz contact Huber

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Pacific Northwest