GrayUR Undergraduate Research for Credit - Sustainable Materials

Humanity has an unsustainable relationship with our natural environment. There are multiple natural resources that are being consumed more rapidly than they can be replenished. Two such resources are peat moss and lumber. Peat grows in bogs at a rate of one inch every 15-25 years and is severely over harvested. Similarly, lumber harvested from old growth trees can require 25-50 year to regrow. Both of these products serve as important components of their biomes, and act as significant carbon sinks. There are no synthetic substitutes for peat, and commercially available synthetic lumber does not reproduce natural counterparts well. The goal of this research project is to identify a candidate natural product to begin the development of a synthetic fabrication process. 

The major tasks of the project are outlined below. These are nominal and are likely to change somewhat throughout the course of the year. These are meant to illustrate the general nature of the work that the position entails. 

Students participating in the GrayUR undergraduate research group will register for an ENGE 2994 or ENGE 4994 undergraduate research course. Typically, students enroll for a 1 credit-hour course load. Under certain circumstances, we can look at extending this up to as many as 3 credits per semester and can sometimes explore technical elective credit within your major. Though not required, the expectation is that you will continue on with the team for two semesters, though we will examine the relationship at the end of the fall semester. 

In addition to the major technical tasks listed above, all members of the GrayUR undergraduate research team should expect  

All student teams will have the following deliverables 

 

Applications will be reviewed by Dr. Gray and by continuing researchers on the team. After a review of the application, our team will contact candidates to schedule an interview (likely to be conducted via zoom). Review for the positions will begin on Bastille Day, 2022, and will continue until all positions are filled. Please send an email to Dr. David Gray (dagray3@vt.edu) with the following deliverables; 

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.