Cover Articles

During the second half of the last century, the development of computers and computer simulation has given way to many advances in our society.  Many fields such as medicine have been using computers to database patients and to simulate research objectives.  Throughout the past centuries, our understanding of the human anatomy and medicine has been increasing at exponential rates, from the development of the pace maker to the mapping of the human genome. 

The combination of computer programming and biological research is a fast growing division of universities nationwide and professionals around the globe.  These researchers are using algorithms to simulate everything from the splitting of bacterium to the growth habits of viruses.  An algorithm is a routine that can be written in any necessary computer programming language that accomplishes the required task at hand.

In today's world, fossil fuels and the precious energy stored within their bonds are becoming less and less favorable for a variety of reasons; primarily because of the simple fact that they are in high demand and (as far as we can tell) will soon be in short order. Secondly,  the price of gasoline in the United States has jumped from just over $1/gallon in the 1990's to well over $3/gallon a mere decade later.  Both the production and consumption of fossil fuels have negative energy and environmental effects. What is modern society to do in the face of such adversity? How can humanity in general mediate the entrenched power house that is crude oil? Enter Chemical Engineers.
   
One of the most promising, readily available and easily introducible forms of fuel is ethanol (grain alcohol, C2H5OH). During the summer of 2007, I worked on a research project with Dr. Nada Assaf-Anid and Dr. James Patrick Abulencia from the Chemical Engineering Department, looking at how to make ethanol more efficiently.  This was the chief goal of the project.

The Manhattan College Veggie Car Project started as an independent study course for Graham Sharkey and I in the spring of 2006. The goal of the course was to modify the engine on an existing vehicle to allow it to run on an alternative fuel: particularly, vegetable oil. To start, Graham and I raised nearly $7,000 to purchase the car and equipment necessary for the conversion. Only a diesel powered car would accept such a conversion. Over the past 18 months, the Veggie Car project has evolved from a conceptual idea to a fully functional 1974 Mercedes-Benz 240D that runs on used vegetable oil. The car has been taken all over the tri-state area to promote environmental issues and the environmental engineering profession. Although the car does not represent necessarily new or groundbreaking technology, I have been able to use the car as a tool to increase awareness about growing environmental concerns and the use of alternative fuels.