American Chemical Society Honors Professor Richard Jarman
Richard Jarman, professor of Chemistry at College of DuPage, has been selected as one of the 2013 recipients of the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Environmental Improvement Award for Incorporating Sustainability into Chemistry Education.
The awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made exemplary contributions to the incorporation of sustainability into chemical education. Jarman was recognized for his work with students as part of a consortium of contributors – including Packer Engineering in Naperville, Argonne National Laboratory and the city of Naperville – to the new Green Fuels Depot in Naperville.
“I am very excited at the opportunity provided by this award to showcase the Green Fuels Depot work on a national stage,” Jarman said. “The award reflects the hard work of many students who contributed to this worthwhile endeavor.”
During the multi-year project, Packer designed a gasifier called the Stalk Stoker that turns grass, leaves, branches and similar products into syngas, a mixture that then can be converted into ethanol, electricity or hydrogen. Primary funding came through the U.S. Department of Energy. Argonne contributed its expertise to this energy conversion process that will fuel a number of Naperville’s city vehicles, while College of DuPage students worked alongside scientists to gain valuable experience.
Jarman will talk about his work as part of a symposium at the ACS 2013 Spring National Meeting to be held in New Orleans.
“I’m proud that we were part of this high-powered team,” Jarman said. “It demonstrates how College of DuPage can partner with neighboring institutions to give students hands-on experience that allows them to apply what they are learning in the classroom.
These opportunities are invaluable. The project also allowed us to educate students about sustainability and the prominent role this will play both today and in the future.”
For more about the Chemistry program, visit www.cod.edu/programs/chemistry.