CSUC research recognized

A Chico State graduate student and recent alumnus headed to Washington, D.C., last week to show off their research into a sustainable product.

Grad student Kevin Parsons and graduate Paul Morris, who now attends the Uniformed Services University of Health Services in Bethesda, Md., took first place in the California State University Student Research Competition about a year ago with their project “Use of Brewery Waste for the Microbial Conversion of Carbohydrates to Lactic Acid.”

The project showed promising results in using industrial or agricultural waste, such as yeast or rice hulls, as a medium for bacteria to produce lactic acid, which can be made into biodegradable plastic.

Parsons and Morris presented their project to Rep. Wally Herger and Sen. Barbara Boxer during the annual undergraduate poster session on Capitol Hill.

The Council on Undergraduate Research sponsors the Posters on the Hill event so that members of the U.S. Congress who provide funding for education have a clear understanding of the programs they fund.