Why Are We Producing Biofuels? Robert C. Brown

Robert C. Brown is the Iowa Farm Bureau Director of the Bioeconomy Institute and Director of the Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies. He is part of a team developing technologies that use heat and catalysts to produce biofuels and was instrumental in securing a contract with ConocoPhillips for an eight-year, $22.5 million biofuels research program at Iowa State. Brown is the Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and Bergles Professor in Thermal Science. He holds faculty appointments in the departments of Mechanical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Brown’s publications include the textbook Biorenewable Resources: Engineering New Products from Agriculture. He holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University. A reception and display of student research will precede the lecture at 7:00 p.m. in the South Ballroom. Fall Presidential University Lecture.