Nicholas Hotzelt is the winner of a 2015 scholarship awarded by the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF). Scholarships are awarded by EREF to recognize excellence in Master’s, Doctoral, or post-Doctoral waste management research and education. Nick is an M.S. student working in Dr. Kevin Finneran’s lab investigating the conversion of landfill leachate to microbial biomass, which will then be used in anaerobic digesters to form methane. This research advances the prospects of converting landfills to a source of renewable energy. At most current landfills, the methane gas that is formed during the break down of organic waste leaks into the atmosphere and contributes to global warming. The process that Nick is working on will turn a significant environmental problem into a renewable energy solution.
EREF scholarships are highly selective. Nick’s selection is a significant honor for him and brings recognition to Dr. Finneran and the Department. Congratulations Nick!
For more information about EREF scholarships, please visit http://erefdn.org/index.php/scholarships/index.
