The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) has been awarded a significant grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The $650,000 award supports innovative research to advance bioethanol waste conversion. The project aims to transform waste from bioethanol production into a replacement for an important industrial commodity not currently produced domestically.
The project is led by Lucas Busta, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering (SCSE), who serves as the primary investigator for UMD. The grant represents a collaborative effort between the University of Minnesota Duluth and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
This funding will expand research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Their work will focus on converting bioethanol processing waste into a U.S.-based alternative for an industrial material that is currently imported from Brazil.
“What’s especially exciting is that this work not only advances sustainable chemistry, but also strengthens hands-on research experiences for emerging scientists at UMD,” said Busta.
The three year project is currently underway, with some preliminary results expected later in 2026.
