News Release
For Immmediate Release — July 13, 2010
UT Establishes New Center for Renewable Carbon
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Four programs combined to consolidate expertise
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Recognizing the societal shift underway from a hydrocarbon-based, or petroleum-based, economy to one that is based on the economic importance of carbohydrates grown as part of agricultural and forestry practices, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has formally established a Center for Renewable Carbon.
The Center for Renewable Carbon (CRC) will consolidate UTIA’s growing research, teaching and outreach programs related to bioenergy production and biomaterials processing into one cohesive unit. Previously four groups were operating separate, but related programs. They include the Office of Bioenergy Programs, the Forest Products Center, the Sun Grant Initiative, and the Carbon Sequestration Program. Dr. Tim Rials who was serving as director of the Forest Products Center and director of research and development for the Office of Bioenergy Programs, will serve as director of the new CRC.
Dr. Rials is excited about the potential of the new center. “The CRC is designed to form a consortium of scientists from across the UT System, other institutions of higher education, state, and federal and private partners. Our express purpose will be collaborative research and education associated with converting renewable carbon into energy, fuels, and useful industrial chemicals and materials,” he said.
Dr. Rials is a chemist by training and has long been fascinated by the economic potential of a sustainable, carbohydrate-based economy. His goal is to expand the Institute of Agriculture’s role in scientific discovery and knowledge transfer and to train the researchers and industrial workforce required to develop and maintain a sustainable bioeconomy including fuels and forest products industry in Tennessee, the region and the nation.
Dr. Joseph DiPietro, chancellor of the UT Institute of Agriculture, believes the CRC is the right direction for the UT programs. “As the state’s land-grant institution, the University of Tennessee has an obligation to respond to societal issues for the benefit of the state’s citizens, our economy, and the nation’s economy. The Institute has already made great strides in the area of biofuels through our internationally recognized Biofuels Initiative and in wood product utilization through our Forest Products Center, so the Center for Renewable Carbon was the next logical step to enhance the competitiveness of our scientists and programs,” he said.
No additional facilities will be needed immediately to house the new center. The building that houses the current Forest Products Center and Office of Bioenergy Programs will be renamed to reflect the broader role of the facility and the faculty. The CRC will utilize existing staff to maintain a core set of research laboratories and technical support available to participating scientists.
Select faculty members from various departments will serve as program area facilitators to foster communication and interaction among CRC members. An advisory board comprised of industry and government leaders familiar with biomass conversion and biobased materials will be established to provide broader input on information needs, funding opportunities, and growth strategies for the new center.
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About the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture provides instruction, research and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; UT AgResearch, including its statewide system of 10 research and education centers; and UT Extension with offices in all 95 Tennessee counties.
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Contacts:
Dr. Tim Rials, Director, UT Center for Renewable Carbon, 865-946-1129
Patricia McDaniels, UTIA Marketing and Communications Services, 615-835-4570, pmcdaniels@tennessee.edu