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- Biomass Conversion at the Audubon Sugar Institute
Audubon Sugar Institute, St. Gabriel, Louisiana.
The interns will help conduct research in the area of biomass conversion to green chemicals. The interns will each be part of on-going research projects involving the synthesis, characterization, and testing of biological activities of nanoparticles from renewable biomass. The synthesized nanoparticles will be applied in food packaging. Active packaging is classified as a subset of intelligent packaging that increases the life of food in the presence of special add-ons in packaging or in-pack films. The development of active packaging can help improve food safety and quality by delaying oxidation and controlling respiration rates, bacterial growth, moisture migration, and by acting as odor absorbers and ethylene eliminators. Interns will be trained on safety, on the use of equipment (e.g., microplate reader, autoclave, SEM, TEM) and learn techniques needed for the project (e.g., microbe cultivation, media preparation, dilutions, pour plating, well-diffusion methods). Interns are expected to work in the laboratory full-time alongside Dr. Aita’s research team.
The student should have general knowledge and skills in the areas of microbiology, biology, chemistry, or biochemistry; and should have completed at least his/her second year at a university level.
The candidate should be able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and have excellent communication, writing and computational skills. Laboratory experience is required. Good housekeeping practices are a must.
May 21-August 2.
Until suitable applicant is identified.
Weekly update meetings with laboratory staff and a final report.
Dr. Giovanna M. Aita
Professor
Audubon Sugar Institute
Louisiana State University
3845 Highway 75
Saint Gabriel, LA 70776
gaita@agcenter.lsu.edu