Life Cycle Assessment of Waste Management

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NSF Community Engaged Waste Management Decision-Making

 

PA Dept of Agriculture Estimation of Plastic Waste in PA Agriculture

 

C-CHANGE "Grass2Gas" 

The Consortium for Cultivating Human and Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE) project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems program. C-CHANGE is a large, interdisciplinary, collaborative project between Iowa State University, Penn State University, Roeslein Alternative Energy, FDC Enterprises, Inc., and the USDA National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment. The C-CHANGE “Grass2Gas” team will assess if perennials and winter crops can be used more widely as feedstock for anaerobic digestion. With time, this will advance a new biobased value chain: production of renewable natural gas and associated bioproducts through the anaerobic digestion of diverse feedstocks.

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In my lab we link models and model output to represent processes across the value chain from other project teams including social & biological scientists and engineers as well as industry partners. Physical and social processes associated with options for the cultivation of agricultural feedstocks and production of biogas and other products through engineered systems will be examined, mathematically represented, and output analyzed. The primary analysis tools used will be life cycle assessment (LCA) and materials flow analysis (MFA), two popular approaches to quantitatively assess the achievement of sustainability goals, for example, reducing net greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering carbon. In this project we will also seek new methods for integrating ecosystem services into an LCA framework. Our work is aimed at supporting the many stakeholders in pursuit of regenerative agricultural projects that can contribute to energy and materials needs along the path of sustainability.

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ECO-CBET: Transforming the Nitrogen Economy 

This is National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project ECO-CBET: Transforming the Nitrogen Economy. This project includes animal & plant scientists, nutrient management specialists, ecological, environmental & civil engineers, working together to systematically evaluate the mechanisms and environmental benefits of using duckweed to capture nutrients from agricultural waste sources within the context of the nutrient-impaired Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Rather than nutrient treatment being a burden, this work will demonstrate how leveraging duckweed can generate critical economic value when returned into the agricultural system as a protein-rich feed supplement for dairy cattle or as a soil amendment for crop production. The result of the transdisciplinary effort is the creation of a unique and sustainable N bioeconomy with global relevance.

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My team represents the combined dairy cattle, waste management, duckweed cultivation and processing system using life cycle assessment (LCA) to track carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and energy flows in relation to products generated within this system. The student researcher will also consider the nutrient flows from a more macro-perspective using materials flow analysis (MFA) and building on prior nutrient flow analysis work conducted in the lab, see the Research page for more information. The student will also assist with techno-economic analysis in coordination with other student and faculty researchers and have an opportunity to learn about all of the other aspects of the project.

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I am always looking for excellent graduate and undergraduate research assistants, a few notes about general interests: 

Preferred Qualifications, Department Information & How to Apply to Graduate positions: The Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department at Penn State offers two graduate degrees, one in Biological Engineering (BE) and one in Biorenewable Systems (BRS), either option can be pursued. The selected graduate assistant, M.S. or PhD will be considered, must have strong quantitative skills, an ability and interest in thinking systemically, and a willingness to interact with team members across multiple disciplines. Knowledge about ecology, biogeochemistry, life cycle assessment and/or energy systems is desired, but not required (though a strong interest is requisite). An undergraduate degree in an engineering or biological science discipline is preferred; but if you think this is the position for you and don’t have such a degree, please email me with your thoughts! 

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If you are interested in working with me, please email me at: chriscostello@psu.edu and attach your resume/CV and an informal (or formal) statement of interest as soon as possible, let's get talking! You may also review and consider initiating the official application process.

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