August 2018
NCERC Hires Fermentation Chemistry Faculty as Joint Hire with SIUE
Dr. Jie Dong began his tenure this month as the first joint faculty hire of NCERC and the Department of Chemistry of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Prior to his hire at NCERC, he spent three years as a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a research institute led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and funded by the US Department of Energy.

Dr. Dong has performed biofuels research since 2010 and earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University in 2014. He wrote his PhD thesis on butanol fermentation from agriculture residues and lignocellulosic biomass and his post-doctoral research was on bacterial engineering for biodiesel production.

Jie has a wife, Yao Nie, and two children, Max (2 years old) and Felix (6 years old). Felix attends Goshen Elementary School in Edwardsville, IL. Dr. Dong's position is a tenured-track faculty position in the Department of Chemistry at SIUE and he will work at NCERC with Director of Research, Dr. Yan Zhang, as a member of the research team.

NCERC is excited about Jie's arrival and eager to offer his expertise as an additional service to our clientele. Welcome, Jie!
NCERC wins Insight into Diversity's Inspiring Programs in STEM Award
NCERC was one of 77 award recipients featured in September's issue of the Insight Into Diversity Magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

"Solving the Equality Equation: Hands-On Workshops in STEM"
In May 2018, NCERC offered two biofuels-themed workshops to the students of Coordinated Youth and Human Services of Granite City and the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. Funded by the Meridian Society at SIUE, the workshop featured insights into the fermentation process, the benefits of biofuels, and careers in the bioeconomy.
Proposals
BIOWIRe , an initiative that connects students in the social science disciplines with opportunities in the bio-based industries, was partially funded through the SIUE Chancellor Innovation Fund. This project will work collaboratively with industry partners to provide STEM and social science students opportunities to work in teams to gather and generate content and design assets for the biorenewable industries.
Connections & Visits
Illinois Farm Bureau Innovations Conference
August 1
Bloomington, IL

Agriculture Policy Forum with Congressmans Shimkus, Davis, LaHood, and Bost
August 14
Springfield, IL

American Coalition for Ethanol Annual Conference
August 15 - 17
Minneapolis, MN

JBEI Annual Meeting and Advisory Committee Meeting
August 20 - 21
Sanoma, CA

Siemens Corporation visits NCERC
August 20 - 22
Edwardsville, IL

NCERC visits Southern Illinois University Carbondale - College of Ag Sciences
August 29 - 30
Carbondale, IL
University 101
On August 29th, NCERC Director, John Caupert, presented at a University 101 class at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. During the class, he presented on the opportunity for corn in the bioeconomy, as well as life lessons and professional development.

John earned two degrees from the School of Agriculture Sciences at SIUC.
Upcoming Meetings
Growth Energy Biofuels Summit
September 10 - 13
Washington, DC

AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals
September 28 - 30
Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, IL
National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center
400 University Park Drive
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618-659-6737 | EthanolResearch.com