Huntsman Endowed Chair
About
An endowment initiated by the Huntsman Corporation Foundation to promote innovation and research specifically in the Biological Engineering (BE) program.
The Huntsman Endowed Chair is a college-wide endowed position that supports innovation, student success, and industry collaboration within Biological & Chemical Engineering at Utah State University. Established through the generosity of the Huntsman family, the endowment provides annual funding that advances research, education, professional development, and partnerships that address critical challenges in environmental sustainability, biotechnology, and engineering.
Funds generated through the endowment are used to support student research experiences, conference travel, proposal development, industry partnerships, and collaborative projects that strengthen biological and environmental engineering education. The program enables faculty and students to pursue innovative ideas while leveraging additional support from industry, government agencies, and research partners.
A key objective of the Huntsman Endowed Chair is to enhance student opportunities through hands-on research, professional presentations, publications, and industry engagement. Endowment resources are frequently combined with external funding to maximize project impact and create meaningful educational experiences for undergraduate and graduate students.
Mission
Collaborate with industry, government, and academic institutions to apply research to local, regional, and global challenges, opportunities, and critical needs. Develop systems, components, technologies, and devices that add value and quality to society. Support the land grant and space grant mission of Utah State University.
Focus
The three pillars of the Endowed Chair include: (1) improve public health, (2) improve environmental quality, and (3) improve the circular bioeconomy.
HERC Collaborations, Functions, and Contributions
Research and Collaboration
Projects supported by the Huntsman Endowed Chair often focus on sustainable technologies, environmental protection, resource recovery, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and innovative engineering solutions. The program encourages collaboration between Utah State University, industry partners, government agencies, and research organizations to address real-world challenges while expanding educational opportunities for students.
1. Power requirements to cultivate biofilm algae from a wastewater bioresource to bioproducts including bioplastic and biofertilizer.
"Analysis of Modifications to an Outdoor Field-Scale Rotating Algal Biofilm Reactor with a Focus on Biomass Productivity and Power Usage." One system used to cultivate attached microalgae biofilms is the rotating algal biofilm reactor (RABR). Algae biomass can be used for producing bioproducts including bioplastic, biofertilizer, bio-oil, and lipids for conversion to biodiesel. This project was a collaboration among industry (Bloom Sustainable Materials, Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility, WesTech-Inc., Environmental Consulting Engineers), government (U.S. DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), and academic organization (Utah State University).
2. Cultivating biofilm algae for phosphorus recovery.
"Factorial experiment to identify two-way interactions between temperature, harvesting period, hydraulic retention time, and light intensity that influence biomass productivity and phosphorus removal efficiency of a microalgae–bacteria biofilm." Phosphorus is a chemical responsible for toxic algal blooms in water bodies used for drinking, contact recreation, and fishing. This research evaluated algae biomass production and the effect of algae on chemical phosphorus removal from water to prevent toxic algal blooms. This project was a collaboration among industry (Bloom Sustainable Materials, Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility, WesTech-Inc., Environmental Consulting Engineers), government (U.S. DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), and academic organization (Utah State University).
3. Utilizing wastewater as a financial bioresource for upcycling to value bioproducts.
"Techno-economic analysis of bioplastic and biofuel production from a high-ash microalgae biofilm cultivated in effluent from a municipal anaerobic digester." This project was a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, WesTech-Inc. Environmental Consulting Engineers, Bloom Sustainable Materials, and the largest water reclamation facility in the State of Utah, the Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility, to sequester carbon dioxide and nutrients for water reclamation with the goal to produce bioproducts including bioplastic, biofuel, and biofertilizer and use a technoeconomic analysis to determine the contribution to a circular economy.
4. Making sunscreen from methane gas.
"Strategies for Increasing Methane Removal in Methanotroph Stirred-Tank Reactors for the Production of Ectoine." Ectoine is an active ingredient in skin care products that can be made by salt-tolerant bacteria that can use the greenhouse gas, methane that is created in landfills and in wastewater treatment facilities. This research was supported by the State of Utah Water Research Laboratory and the Huntsman Corporation Endowed Professorship at USU.
5. Laboratory-to-pilot scale: effect on algae biofilm systems.
"Rotating algal biofilm reactors retain core microbial communities during scale-up." Very few studies have examined whether the types of algae comprising biofilms change during scale-up. Using rotating algae biofilm reactors, we tested whether the biofilm community is preserved during scale-up. The original biofilm algae mixture was taken from the same source at a water resource reclamation facility. Results showed that the core composition of types of microalgae was conserved from laboratory to pilot scale and therefore that an original biofilm algae source is scalable.
Professional development activities
- Student research and project participation
- Undergraduate and graduate student mentoring
- Professional conference travel and presentations
- Research proposal development
- Industry-supported collaborative projects
- Publications and scholarly activities
- Workforce development and industry engagement
Student Impact
The Huntsman Endowed Chair plays an important role in supporting students as they participate in research, present at professional conferences, publish scholarly work, and engage with industry partners. Through these experiences, students gain valuable technical, communication, and leadership skills that prepare them for careers in engineering, research, healthcare, and advanced graduate studies.