Meghana Rao Advances to Finals in Intel with Biochar Cathodes in Microbial Fuel Cells Project
Tom Miles
Congratulations to Jesuit High School junior Meghana Rao, 17, (Beaverton, Oregon) for advancing to the finals of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair by competing at the Intel Northwest Science Expo High School awards, April 5, 2013, at Portland State University with her project, “The Novel Implementation of Biochar Cathodes in Microbial Fuel Cells – Phase I.” She is one of six finalists who will compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair, May 12-17, in Arizona.
Meghana is among 23 students from Oregon who qualified in their regional fairs. 550 projects from 83 schools and organizations in Oregon competed in the high school and middle school divisions. Awards for the fairs are at www.nwse.org and linked on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northwest-Science-Expo-System/102630729519
Meghana won Intel science competitions as a sophomore with a biochar project. She presented that work at the Asia Pacific Biochar Conference in Kyoto, Japan, in 2011, “Carbon Sequestration by Biochar: The Effects of Feedstock and Temperature of Pyrolysis on Chemical and Physical Stability of Biochar” and at Biochar 2012 in Sonoma, California. Her 2012 presentation was ”Biochar Carbon Sequestration: The Effect of Particle Size and Feedstock on Physical and Chemical Stability” http://2012.biochar.us.com/381/biochar-carbon-sequestration-effect-particle-size-and-feedstock-physical-and-chemical-stability
Many thanks to all those in the Northwest Biochar community who have helped Meghana explore the properties and uses of biochar. Her projects have included work with Dr. Markus Kleber, Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, Dr. Hong Liu, Biological and Ecological Engineering, OSU, and their graduate students. Special thanks to John Miedema, Biological Carbon, Tom Grissom, International Tech Corp, Art Donnelly, Seachar, Dr. Steven Joseph, University of NSW, Australia, and others who have provided advice, materials, and brought her into contact with the members of the international community in biochar science. Young, creative minds will help us find ways that biochar can help solve our energy and environmental challenges.
We wish her the best of luck in her upcoming competition.
Tom
T R Miles Technical Consultants, Inc.
Portland, OR USA
www.biochar.bioenergylists.org