Student to present research at national chemistry conference

uppal med

Sakshi Uppal

Northwest chemistry major Sakshi Uppal, a junior from Delhi, India, will present original research this month during a special undergraduate session at the 100th anniversary meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) in Philadelphia.

It will be the second time this fall Uppal has presented “Sustainability Design Analysis: Carbon Black from Scrap Tires.” The first was during a regional meeting of the American Chemical Society at the University of Nebraska-Kearney in October.

With more than 40,000 members in 93 countries, AIChE is the world's leading organization for chemical engineering professionals. Uppal’s research was proposed for inclusion at the conference by Dr. Earl Beaver, managing partner of Practical Sustainability LLC, an environmental, chemical and biological consulting firm that has announced plans to house operations at Northwest’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Located on the Northwest campus, the CIE is a combination business incubator and academic facility now in the final phases of construction.

Uppal worked as a Practical Sustainability intern last summer in St. Louis and plans to continue in that role over the holiday break and following the end of the spring 2009 trimester. Her research, which was conducted under Beaver’s supervision, has relevance to another CIE tenant, Carbolytic Materials Company, which plans to use the center for research and development activities and recently announced its intention to build a separate processing plant in Maryville.

CMC extracts a substance known as carbon black from shredded automotive tires. The tinting and reinforcing agent is used in the manufacture hundreds of products such as hoses, belts, wipers, gaskets, roofing materials and pipe.

Uppal’s research summarizes the cost and benefits of recovering carbon black and other industrial substances from old tires versus the generation of new materials from refined oil.

She also seeks to demonstrate that successfully recycling scrap tires will result in significant economic and environmental outcomes.

Uppal, who plans to attend graduate school after completing her American Chemical Society-accredited bachelor’s degree in April 2010, described her internship with Practical Sustainability as “a great opportunity” and praised Beaver for his role as mentor.

“His knowledge about chemistry is just amazing,” she said.

Beaver, who holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and chemical engineering from Texas Tech University, spent 30 years at Monsanto before founding Practical Sustainability. His corporate and scientific achievements include development of numerous environmental technology solutions and sustainability tools.

Uppal was recommended for the internship by Dr. Rafiq Islam, professor and chair of Northwest’s Department of Chemistry and Physics.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone: 660.562.1704
Fax: 660.562.1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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