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Dr. Stephanie Lansing

Professor

Professor

Environmental Science & Technology 1429 Animal Science/Agricultural Engineering Building College Park, Maryland 20742

Dr. Stephanie Lansing leads the Bioenergy and Biotechnology Lab at the nexus of renewable energy, water quality, waste treatment, and human health. She is committed to understanding the ecological, engineering, and social systems that influence these intertwined areas. Dr. Lansing serves as a Vice Chair of the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council. Her research focuses on strengthening the biocircular economy, anaerobic digestion, bioplastic formation from waste, microbial fuel cells, and nutrient management. She has 20 years of experience in renewable energy research, extension education, and conducting sustainability life cycle assessments of waste to energy systems. Her work in bioenergy spans from large to small-scale anaerobic digestion in the US, Africa, and Latin America.

Research Areas

Food Waste

Dr. Lansing is leading two new grants totaling >$6 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop sustainable products, such as biofuels and bioplastics from food waste. These grants are aimed at understanding the waste sources we have, particularly the quantities of food waste, and determining what opportunities exist for us to create renewable resources and energy from that waste. One grant is focused on the production of bioplastics from food waste, while the other is focused on characterizing the municipal solid waste stream to create biofuels that can replace liquid fuels like aviation fuel.

Anaerobic Digestion

Anaerobic digestion is a technology that transforms waste into renewable energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. During anaerobic digestion, biogas is produced from a natural consortium of microbes that break down biodegradable material inside a sealed, oxygen-free reactor. Anaerobic digesters can use a wide range of waste, such as food scraps, manure, crop waste, or sewage sludge. 

Topics include:

  • Bioenergy and waste treatment to reduce odors, greenhouse gas emissions, and create beneficial fertilizers
  • Waste to Energy Research: Anaerobic digestion, microbial fuel cells, gasification, and solid-oxide fuel cells
  • Small-scale digesters for the US and developing countries
  • High temperature and high pressure anaerobic digestion
  • Effects of nanoparticles on anaerobic digestion and post-digestion utilization
  • Life cycle assessments (LCA) and greenhouse gas accounting of waste to energy and waste diversion

Additional Resources:

Research factsheet: Waste to energy

Article: In Haiti, (more than) A Win-win Toilet Solution

Article: UMD Researchers Initiate Holistic Review of the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Animal Waste Technology Fund

NourishNet - Food Recovery Toolbox

Logo for the NourishNet Project

In the US, 34 million people are food insecure. Yet a third of the food produced in the US is wasted. Our integrated team, NourishNet, funded by that National Science Foundation, offers a cutting-edge toolbox that enhances food security and reduces food waste by putting healthy food in the hands of the food insecure. Our tools include the complete integration of a real-time software app, named FoodLoops, to optimize surplus food distribution with an electronic sensor, named Quantum Nose, to detect early-stage food spoilage. The FoodLoops platform incorporates consumer education, connects small farmers within the food ecosystem, and provides greenhouse gas emission data to allow for data-driven decision-making on food system resiliency. The collaborative NourishNet team includes University of Maryland researchers and entrepreneurs, Prince George’s County Food Equity Council, ChowMatch, LindaBen Foundation, SCS Engineers, and Well Said Media.

Our tools will strengthen food system resiliency by promoting equitable donations and redistribution of nutritious surplus food. Our real-time data collection and modeling will empower government agencies and institutions to strategically invest in waste prevention, food diversion, anaerobic digestion, composting, and climate-smart infrastructure for local food markets. The nationwide deployment of FoodLoops and Quantum Nose will increase equity, connect key food system stakeholders, empower underserved populations, create new educational resources, and allow for real-time forecasting and data-driven decision-making.

Food Energy Water Nexus

Food, water, and energy systems are intimately connected. Water and nutrients are needed to grow crops and feed animals. Agricultural runoff can degrade water quality and increase eutrophication, while energy is integral to both agricultural production and water treatment. The connection between these systems is known as the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus.

Topics include:

  • Recovering nutrients from waste using post-nutrient extraction after anaerobic digestion
  • Nutrient recovery from Chesapeake Bay using algal turf scrubber (ATS) with anaerobic digestion of algae feedstocks to drive a fuel cell at the Port of Baltimore
  • Food waste, dairy and poultry manure digestion in Maryland, as well as sanitary waste digestion in Haiti

Additional Resources:

VOA News: Algal Turf Scrubbers

Food Energy Water Nexus Research featured on the Big Ten Network

Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is of increasing concern, with antibiotics use in agriculture and public health settings leading to an increase in bacterial resistance in the environment.

Topics Include:

  • Antimicrobial resistance, persistence and treatment in dairy and beef manure waste management processing and the wastewater industry

Additional Resources:

Antimicrobial Resistance Workshop

Publications

Find the full list of publications on Google Scholar.

 

  1. Poindexter, C., Yarberry, A., Rice, C*., Lansing, S., 2022. Quantifying antibiotic distribution in solid and liquid manure using a two-step, multi-residue antibiotic extraction. Antibiotics. Accepted November 22, 2022.
  2. Hassanein, A., Moss, A., Cloyd, N. Lansing, S*., 2022. Evaluation and life cycle assessment of a poultry litter anaerobic digester with nutrient capture. Bioresource Technology Reports 19, 101186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2022.101186.
  3. Holl, E., Steinbrenner, J., Merkle, W., Krumpel, J., Lansing, S., Baier, U., Oechsner, H., Lemmer, A*., 2022. Two-state anaerobic digestion: State of technology and perspective roles in future energy systems. Bioresource Technology 360: 127633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotech.2022.127633.
  4. Nachod, B., Keller, E., Hassanein, A., Lansing, S*., 2021. Assessment of petroleum-based plastic and bioplastics degradation using anaerobic digestion. Sustainability 13(23): 13295. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313295.
  5. Hassanein, A., Kumar, A.N., Lansing, S*., 2021. Impact of electro-conductive nanoparticle additives on anaerobic digestion performance – A Review. Bioresource Technology 432, 126023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126023.
  6. Schueler, J., Lansing, S*., Crossette, E., Naas, K., Hurst, J., Raskin, L., Wigginton, K., Aga, D.S., 2021. Tetracycline, sulfadimethoxine, and antibiotic resistance gene dynamics during anaerobic digestion of dairy manure. Journal of Environmental Quality 50(3): 694-705. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20211
  7. Schueler, J., Naas, K., Hurst, J., Aga, D.D., Lansing, S*., 2021. Effects of on-farm dairy manure composting on tetracycline content and nutrient composition. Journal of Antibiotics 10 (4): 443. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10040443
  8. Wind, L*., Briganti, J.S., Brown, A.M., Neher, T.P., Davis, M.F., Durso, L.M., Spicer, T., Lansing, S*., 2021. Finding what is inaccessible: Antimicrobial resistance language use among the One Health domains. Journal of Antibiotics 10 (4): 385. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10040385
  9. Hassanein, A., Keller, E., Lansing, S*., 2021. Effect of metal nanoparticles in anaerobic digestion production and plant uptake from effluent fertilizer. Bioresource Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124455
  10. Choudhury, A., Lansing, S*., 2021. Absorption of hydrogen sulfide in biogas using a novel iron-impregnated biochar scrubbing system. J. Environmental Chemical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.104837
  11. Witarsa, F., Lupitskyy, R., Moss, A., Kulow, A., Lansing, S*., 2020. Ammonia capture with biogas purification from anaerobically digested poultry litter. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.6557
  12. Choudhury, A., Felton, G., Moyle, J., Lansing, S*., 2020. Fluidized bed combustion of poultry litter at farm-scale: Environmental impacts using a life cycle approach. Journal of Cleaner Production 276, 124231/. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clepro.2020.124231. 
  13. Choudhury, A., Lansing, S*., 2020. Biochar addition with Fe-impregnation to reduce H2S production from anaerobic digestion. Bioresource Technology 306: 123121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechn.2020.123121. 
  14. Hassanein, A*., Witarsa, F., Lansing, S*., Qiu, L. Yong, L., 2020. Bio-electrochemical enhancement of hydrogen and methane production in a combined anaerobic digester (AD) and microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) from dairy manure. Sustainability 12, 8491: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208491.
  15. Achi, C.G., Hassanein, A., Lansing, S*., 2020. Enhanced biogas production of cassava wastewater using zeolite and biochar additives and manure co-digestion. Energies 13(2), 491. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13020491.
  16. Witarsa, F., Yarberry, A., May, P., Kangas, P., Lansing, S*., 2020. Complementing energy production with nutrient management: Anaerobic digestion system for algal turf scrubber biomass. Ecological Engineering 143, 105618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2019.105618.
  17. Oliver, J., Gooch, C*., Lansing, S., Schueler, J., Hurst, J., Sassoubre, L., Crossette, E., Aga, D., 2020. Invited Review: Fate of antibiotic residues, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes in US dairy manure management systems. Journal of Dairy Science 103:1051-1071. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-16778.
  18. Huertas, J.K., Quipuzco, L., Hassanein, A., Lansing, S*., 2020. Comparing hydrogen sulfide removal efficiency in a field-scale digester using microaeration and iron filters. Energies 13, 4793. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13184793.
  19. Paul, M., Dangol, S., Kholodovsky, V., Sapkota, A., Negahban-Azar, M., Lansing, S*., 2020. Modeling the impacts of climate change on crop yield and irrigation in the Monocacy River Watershed, USA. Climate. 8(12), 139. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli8120139
  20. Hassanein, A., Lansing, S*., Tikekar, R., 2019. Impact of metal nanoparticles on biogas production from poultry litter. Bioresource Technology 275: 200-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.12.048. 
  21. Hurst, J.J., Oliver, J., Schueler, J., Gooch, C.A., Lansing, S., Crossette, E., Wiggington, K.R., Raskin, L., Aga, D.S*., Sassoubre, L.M., 2019. Trends in antimicrobial resistance genes in manure blend pits and long-term storage across dairy farms with comparisons to antimicrobial usage and residual concentrations. Environmental Science & Technology 53(5): 2405-2415. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b05702. 
  22. Lansing, S*., Hülsemann, B., Choudhury, A., Schueler, J., Lisboa, M.S., Oechsner, H., 2019. Food waste co-digestion in Germany and the United States: From lab to full-scale systems. Resources, Conservation & Recycling 148: 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.05.014. 
  23. Yarberry, A., Lansing, S*., Luckarift, H., Dlitz, R., Mulbry, W., Yarwood, S., 2019. Effect of anaerobic digestion inoculum preservation via lyophilization on methane recovery. Waste Management 87: 62-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.01.03. 
  24. Choudhury, A., Lansing, S*., 2019. Methane and hydrogen sulfide production from codigestion of gummy waste with a food waste, grease waste, and dairy manure mixture. Energies 12 (23), 4464. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12234464.
  25. Shelford, T.J., Gooch, C.A*., Lansing, S., 2019. Performance and economic results for two full-scale biotrickling filters to remove H2S from dairy anaerobic digestion biogas. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 35(3): 283-291. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.12939. 
  26. Choudhury, A., Shelford, T., Felton, G., Gooch, C., Lansing, S*., 2019. Evaluation of hydrogen sulfide scrubbing systems for anaerobic digesters on two dairy farms. Energies 12 (24), 4605. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12244605. 
  27. Oliver, J.P., Schueler, J.E., Gooch, C.A., Lansing, S., Aga, D*., 2018. Performance quantification of manure management systems at 11 Northeastern US dairy farms. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 34(6): 973-1000. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.12863. 
  28. Arikan, O*., Mulbry, W., Rice, C., Lansing, S., 2018. The fate and effect of monensin during anaerobic digestion of dairy manure under mesophilic conditions. PLoS One 13(2): e0192080. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192080. 
  29. Arikan, O*., Mulbry, W., Rice, C., Lansing, S., 2018. Anaerobic digestion reduces veterinary ionophore lasalocid in dairy manure. Desalination and Water Treatment. Desalination and Water Treatment 108: 183-188. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2018.22040. 
  30. Hassanein, A., Witarsa, F., Guo, X., Yong, L., Lansing, S., Qiu, L*., 2017. Next generation digestion: Complementing anaerobic digestion (AD) with a novel microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) design. Intl. J. Hydrogen Energy 42: 28681-28689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.10.003. 
  31. Lansing, S*., Maile-Moskowitz, A., Eaton, A., 2017. Waste treatment and energy production from small-scale wastewater digesters. Bioresource Technology 245(A): 801-809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.08.215.
  32. Mulbry, W*., Lansing, S., Selmer, K., 2017. Effect of liquid surface area on hydrogen sulfide oxidation during micro-aeration in dairy manure digesters. PLoS One 12(10): e0185738. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185738. 
  33. Lansing, S*., Bowen, H., Gregoire, K., Klavon, K., Moss, A., Eaton, A., Lai, Y., Iwata, K., 2016. Methane production for sanitation improvement in Haiti. Biomass and Bioenergy 91: 288-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.05.032. 
  34. Witarsa, F., Lansing, S*., Yarwood, S, Mateu, M.G., 2016. Incubation of innovative methanogenic communities to seed anaerobic digesters. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 100(22): 9795-9806. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-016-7875-z. 
  35. Belle, A, Lansing, S*., Mulbry, W., Weil, R.R., 2015. Anaerobic co-digestion of forage radish and dairy manure in complete mix digesters. Bioresource Technology 178: 230237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.09.036. 
  36. Arikan, O*., Mulbry, W., Lansing, S., 2015. Effect of temperature on methane production from field-scale anaerobic digesters treating dairy manure. Waste Management 43: 108113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.06.005. 
  37. Belle, A., Lansing, S*., Mulbry. W., Weil, R.R., 2015. Methane and hydrogen sulfide dynamics co-digesting forage radish and dairy manure. Biomass and Bioenergy 80: 4451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.09.036. 
  38. Witarsa, F., Lansing, S*., 2015. Quantifying methane production from psychrophilic anaerobic digestion of separated and unseparated dairy manure. Ecological Engineering 78: 95-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.05.031. 
  39. Lansing, S*., Klavon, K., Mulbry, W., Moss, A., 2015. Design and validation of field-scale anaerobic digesters treating dairy manure for small farms. Transactions of the ASABE 58(2): 441-449. https://doi.org/10.13031/trans.58.11079. 
  40. Lisboa, M.S., Lansing, S*., 2014. Evaluating the toxicity of food processing wastes as codigestion substrates with dairy manure. Waste Management 34(7): 1299-1305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2014.03.005. 
  41. Moss, A., Lansing, S*., Tilley, D., Strass, K., 2014. Assessing the sustainability of smallscale anaerobic digestion with the introduction of the emergy efficiency index (EEI) and adjusted yield ratio (AYR). Ecological Engineering 64: 391-407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2013.12.008. 
  42. Saer, A., Lansing, S*., Davitt, N., Graves, R., 2013. Life cycle assessment of a food waste composting system: Environmental impact hotspot. Journal of Cleaner Production 52(1): 234-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.03.022. 
  43. Klavon, K., Lansing, S*., Moss, A., Mulbry, W., Felton, G., 2013. Economic analysis of small-scale agricultural digesters in the United States. Biomass and Bioenergy 54: 36-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2013.03.009. 
  44. Lisboa, M.S., Lansing, S*., 2013. Characterizing food waste substrates for co-digestion through biochemical methane potential (BMP) experiments. Waste Management 33(12): 2664-2669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.09.004. 
  45. Ceccarelli, D., Spagnoletti, M., Hasan, N.A., Lansing, S., Huq, A., Colwell, R.R*., 2013.  A new integrative conjugative element detected in Haitian isolates of Vibrio cholerae nonO1/non-O139. Research in Microbiology 164(9): 891-893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resmic.2013.08.004. 
  46. Ciotola, R., Lansing, S., Martin, J*., 2011. Emergy analysis of biogas production and electricity generation from small-scale agricultural digesters. Ecological Engineering 37: 1681-1691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2011.06.031. 
  47. Lansing, S*., Martin, J.F., Botero, R.B., Nogueira da Silva, T., Dias da Silva, E., 2010. Methane production in low-cost, co-digestion systems treating manure and used cooking grease. Bioresource Technology 101: 4362-4370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.01.100. 
  48. Lansing, S*., Martin, J., Botero, R., Nogueira da Silva, T., Dias da Silva, E., 2010. Wastewater transformations and fertilizer value when co-digesting differing ratios of swine manure and used cooking grease in low-cost digesters. Biomass and Bioenergy 34: 1711-1720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.07.005.
  49. Aldana, L.Y., Lansing, S., Botero, R*., 2010. Supplementing biodigesters with vinasse and its effect on the production and quality of biogas and the effluents. Tierra Tropical: Sostenibilidad, Ambiente y Sociedad 6 (2): 233-240. (Article in Spanish with title and abstract in English).
  50. Viquez, J., Martínez, H. Botero, R*., Lansing, S., 2010. Evaluation of the sustainability of biogeneration of electricity in an anaerobic fermentation system in a combination of two Taiwanese-model biodigesters supplemented with swine and cattle manure. Tierra Tropical: Sostenibilidad, Ambiente y Sociedad 6 (2): 223-231. (Article in Spanish with title and abstract in English).
  51. Lansing, S*., Botero, R., Martin, J., 2008. Waste treatment and biogas quality in small-scale agricultural digesters. Bioresource Technology 99: 5881-5890. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2007.09.090. 
  52. Lansing, S*., Viquez, J., Martínez, H., Botero, R., Martin, J., 2008. Quantifying electricity generation and waste transformations in a low-cost, plug-flow anaerobic digestion system. Ecological Engineering 34: 332-348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2008.09.002. 
  53. Lansing, S*., Martin, J., 2006. Use of an ecological treatment system (ETS) for removal of nutrients from dairy wastewater. Ecological Engineering 28: 235-245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2006.04.006. 
  54. Martin, J.F*., Lansing S., Mitsch, W.J., 2006. The growth of ecological engineering: The fifth annual conference of the American Ecological Engineering Society. Ecological Engineering 28: 183-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2006.09.006. 

Active Grants

Awarded 47 grants valued at $16.8 million. I served as the PI for >$12 million of the grant dollars awarded. Granting agencies have included federal government (NSF, USAID, USDA-AFRI, DOE, US Air Force, US Dept. of Transportation, Sustainable Agricultural Research & Education (SARE), private foundations (Gates Foundation - 2 grants), state agencies (MD Dept. of Agriculture, MD Energy Innovation Institute, MD Industrial Partnerships, MD Energy Admin), UMD competitive programs, and one patent approved.


1. NSF Convergence Accelerator Track J: MidAtlantic Food Resiliency Network – Securing the Future of Food through a Multi-Mindset Approach

  • Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Funding: $750,000 total (UMD portion $712,193) (1/2023 – 12/2023)
  • Role: Principal Investigator (co-PIs at UMD: Vanessa Frias-Martinez, I-School; Oliver Schlake, Smith School of Business; Cheng Gong, Engineering; Jee-Jung Song, Food & Nutrition Science; Caroline Boules, ENSP; Allison Tjaden, Dining Services; Co-PIs at Prince George’s Food Equity Council: Sydney Daigle and Scarleth Castro)

2. Systematic Characterization of Variability in MSW Streams to Identify Critical Material Attributes for Fuel Production

  • Sponsor: Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office
  • Funding: $4,126,005 total ($3,411,838 federal share; $855,167 cost share; UMD portion ($658,346) (10/2021 – 9/2024)
  • Role: Principal Investigator (co-PIs: Zhiwu Wang, Virginia Tech; Xumeng Ge and Yebo Li, quasar energy group; Zhongtang Yu, Ohio State University; Fei Yu; Mississippi State University; Allison Ray, Ling Ding, and Kuan-Ting Lin, Idaho National Laboratory; Amro Hassanein, UMD; Darrin Diliah and Parita Shah,SCS Engineers)

3. Innovative Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production with Microbial Electrochemical Technology (MET) Incorporation for Community-Scale Valorization

  • Sponsor: Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office
  • Funding: $2,481,536 total ($1,985,230 federal share; $496,306 cost share; UMD portion ($622,661) (10/2020 – 12/2023).
  • Role: Principal Investigator (co-PIs: Zhiwu Wang, Virginia Tech; Brad Whalen, Birenda Adhikari, and Hongqiang Hu at Idaho National Lab; Leonard Tender, Matthew Yates at Naval Research Lab; Xumeng Ge, quasar energy group; Amro Hassanein, UMD)

4. Maryland Animal Waste Technology Assessment and Strategy Planning

  • Sponsor: Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA)
  • Funding: $714,294 (7/2022 – 6/2023), UMD portion ($714,294)
  • Role: Principal Investigator (co-PIs: Shannon Dill, Jonathan Moyle, Sarah Potts, Jennifer Rhodes, and Jeff Semler of UME; Kathryne Everts and Nancy Nunn of the Harry Hughes Center for AgroEcology; Amro Hassanein and David Ruppert of ENST; Marccus Hendricks of School Architecture, Planning & Preservation; James MacDonald of AREC

5. Quantifying Cattle Manure-AMR Perceptions and Treatment System Variabilities to Develop a Novel Communication Framework for Conveying AMR Science and Mitigation Opportunities

  • Sponsor: USDA-AFRI
  • Funding: $1,200,000 (5/2018 – 4/2023), UMD portion ($629,526)
  • Role: Principal Investigator (co-PIs: Daryl Van Nydam, Cornell Univ; David Lansing, Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County; Amy Schmidt and Rick Stowell, Univ of Nebraska; Stephanie Yarwood, ENST)

6. NSF-INFEWS: UMD Global STEWARDS (STEM Training at the Nexus of the Energy Water Reuse and FooD systems)

  • Sponsor: NSF
  • Funding: $3,000,000 (8/2018 – 8/2023)
  • Role: Co-Principal Investigator. (PI: Amy Sapkota, Public Health; co-PIs at UMD: Xin-Zhong Liang, Atmosphere and Oceanic Science; Mihai Pop, Computer Science; Shirley Micallef, PLSC; Allen Davis, Engineering; Nathan Hultman, Public Policy; Amir Sapkota, Public Health

7. Poultry Litter Biochar: Markets and Sustainability

  • Sponsor: Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS)
  • Funding: $257,305 (8/2020 – 7/2023)
  • Role: Principal Investigator (co-PI: Gary Felton, ENST)

8. Poultry Litter Digestion and Nutrient Recovery: Maryland Eastern Shore

  • Sponsor: Maryland Energy Administration (MEA)
  • Funding: $60,576 (6/2021 – 7/2023)
  • Role: Principal Investigator (co-PI: Amro Hassanein, ENST)

9. Surveys and Communication of AMR: Human Dimensions Conference

  • Sponsor: USDA-AFRI
  • Funding: $45,515 (12/2018 – 12/2020)
  • Role: Principal Investigator

10. Co-digestion of Algae from Algal Turf Scrubbers in Farm-Based Digesters to Increase Profitability and Reduce Nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay

  • Sponsor: NE SARE Graduate Research Grant
  • Funding: $14,978 (18/2020 – 7/2021)
  • Role: Principal Investigator (I serve as PI for research funds for graduate student)

11. Biogas Enhancement and Ammonia Extraction for Increased Revenue in Waste-to-Energy Systems

  • Sponsor: Maryland Energy Innovation Institute
  • Funding: $100,000 (1/2018 – 10/2019)
  • Role: Principal Investigator

12. Energy Answers for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher

  • Sponsor: USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)
  • Funding: $200,000 (9/2018 – 9/2021); my UMD portion ($10,000)
  • Role: Co-Principal Investigator (PI: Dan Ciolkosz, Penn State Univ.; co-PIs: Doug Schaulfer, Penn State Univ.; Ed Johnstonbaugh, Penn State Univ.; Curt Gooch, Cornell University; Xinlei Wang, U. of Illinois; Serpil Guran, Rutgers; Aluel Go, Michigan State Univ.; Josh Ignosh, Virginia Tech; Matt Smith, U. of New Hampshire; AJ Both, Rutgers; John Hay, U. of Nebraska; Scott Sanford, U. of Wisconsin; Kay DiMarco, KMD Productions; Tom Laird, Laird Design Service

13. Third Party Monitoring of the Anaerobic Digester Project Implemented by Kilby Farm, LLC as a Demonstration of Animal Waste Technology

  • Sponsor: Maryland Department of Agriculture
  • Funding: $169,410 (8/2018 – 7/2023)
  • Role: Principal Investigator

Outreach

Teaching

Some of Dr. Lansing's lectures and teaching recordings on renewable energy and ecological design topics are available on her YouTube Channel: @stephanielansing5768.

Renewable Energy

ENST 415/ENST 615/MEES 615 (3 credits)

An overview of renewable energy technologies, their current applications and design criteria. Emphasis is placed on bioenergy (anaerobic digestion, biodiesel, and ethanol) solar, and wind energy. Fall Semester. See syllabus for more details.

Ecological Design

ENST 481/ENST 681 (3 credits)

This is an advanced survey course on the field of ecological design and engineering. Principles of ecological engineering are applied through design of biologically-based waste treatment systems. Spring Semester. See ENST481 syllabus for more details. Or ENST681 syllabus here.

UMD Global STEWARDS Project-Based Data Practicum at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (FEWS)

MEIH691 

A data analysis course for the NSF-funded Global STEWARDS. See syllabus for more details.

Antimicrobial Resistance from a One Health Perspective

ENST 689K (1 credit)

This seminar is co-taught via Zoom with six participating institutions (UMD, University of Nebraska, University of Minnesota, Oklahoma State University, North Carolina State University, Washington State University) with guest lectures in-person or via Zoom from experts in AMR throughout the world.

The Bioenergy and Biotechnology Lab Team

Faculty

Dr. Stephanie Lansing

Principal Investigator

 

Contact: slansing@umd.edu

Dr. Amro Hassanein

Assistant Research Scientist & Lab Manager

 

Contact: ahassane@umd.edu

Website: www.amrohassanein.com

 

Dr. Amro Hassanein's experience includes anaerobic digestion, microbial fuel cell, microbial electrolysis cell, coagulation, nutrient capture, modeling, bioenergy, life cycle assessments, pyrolysis, and nanotechnology.

Postdoctoral Associates

Amradi
Dr. Naresh Kumar Amradi

Postdoctoral Research Associate

 

Contact: nareshka@umd.edu

Mobile: +1-240-726-2280

0512A An.Sci./Ag. Eng. Bldg.142

College Park, MD 20742

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Graduate Students

Danielle Delp

Algal Digestion and Watershed Management 

 

Contact: ddelp@umd.edu

 

Danielle is a doctoral student researching anaerobic digestion of algae in the department of environmental science and technology department. Her interests lie in the application of algal biotechnology for use in bioremediation and bioenergy production. She currently works with algal turf scrubber systems to grow algae on water drawn from tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay to produce a feedstock for methane production via anaerobic digestion. This combined technology presents a potential method for carbon-neutral bioenergy production while providing continuous remediation to impacted waterways.

Carlton Poindexter

Antimicrobial Resistance and Manure Treatment

 

Contact: cpoindex@terpmail.umd.edu 

 

Carlton Poindexter is an NSF-NRT doctoral student in the department of environmental science and technology at the University of Maryland . His research is focused on environmental antimicrobial resistance and the effectiveness of anaerobic digestion and other waste/ wastewater treatment technology. This research seeks to determine ecological mechanisms involved in the occurrence and transmission of antibiotic resistant genes and antibiotic resistant bacteria.

 
Usoshi Chatterjee

Waste Conversion and Systems Engineering 

 

Contact: uchatter@terpmail.umd.edu

 

Usoshi is a doctoral student in the department of Environmental Science and Technology at University of Maryland. She has a Master's and BS from Ohio State University in Food and Biological Engineering and is interested in learning various ways to incorporate sustainable systems. Her doctoral research focuses on conversion of waste into soil amendments for plants and potential use of carbon sequestration and pollution abatement, as well as analyzing the life cycle of a system. This proposed research is to develop innovative bioenergy/processing technologies to increase agricultural productivity.

 

AGNR Momentum Magazine Article: From Poultry Poop to Possibility

 

Kirk Mahoney

Anaerobic Digestion and Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs)

 

Contact: kmahone4@umd.edu  

Undergraduate Researchers

 
Derrick Sanders

Nanotechnology and Microbial Electrolysis Cells

 
Olivia Robinson

Municipal Waste to Energy Analysis and Waste Conversion Systems Engineering

 
Emily McCoy

Efficiency of Co-digestion of Dairy Manure, Poultry and Food Wastes

 
Briana Mercado

Nutrient Transformations and Biogas Production from Anaerobic Digestion

 
Dahlia Adres

Nutrient Transformations and Biogas Production from Anaerobic Digestion

High School Interns

Mandy Zhang

Volatile Fatty Acid Production from Dark Fermentation

Previous Team Members

Name

Current Position

Jenna Schueler, MS

Water Quality Research Assistant, Chesapeake Bay Foundation 

Andrew Moss, MS

Technical Director, Plant Found Energy Development, LLC

Katherine Klavon, MS

Senior Water Resources Engineer, WSP:  Colorado Springs

Abhinav Choudhury, PhD

Environmental Research Engineer, Freshwater Institute, The Conservation Fund

Freddy Witarsa, PhD

Assistant Professor, Colorado Mesa University

Ashley Belle, PhD

Extension Educator, University of Illinois Extension

Andrea Yarberry, PhD

Organic Chemical Metrology Group, NIST

Emily Keller 

 

Ahmed Abdellah

University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Student