Millennium Café

Date and Time
Location
3rd Floor Café Commons of the Millennium Science Complex

Plant-inspired 3D Printing with Renewable Materials

Stephen Chmely |  Agricultural & Biological Engineering

Plants developed a remarkable hierarchical woody structure some 400 million years ago that allows them to grow towards the sun, conduct moisture and nutrients, and resist attack from harmful organisms. My group takes inspiration from these structures to create new materials by 3D printing from plant-derived polymers. I will discuss our efforts to create and characterize new materials from renewable resources and I will speculate on how these new materials could be deployed to reverse anthropogenic climate change.

 

Research to Action:  The New Center for Climate Solutions @ Penn State

Rachel Brennan |  Environmental Engineering

Environmental urgency, growing political support, and public resolve are driving the demand for strategies to reverse global warming. The forthcoming Center for Climate Solutions and Sustainability Assessment provides a portfolio of engineering guidance, assessment, and professional education services to enable industry, community, and government clients to reduce their carbon footprint, improve their financial stability, and increase their workforce capacity to help solve complex sustainability challenges today. 

 

The Millennium Café runs 10-11am in the 3rd floor Café Commons of the MSC Bldg.  Join researchers from across campus for a stellar cup of coffee and two <10 min interdisciplinary talks.