NCERC

Prior to graduating from Missouri S&T with my Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering, I completedd a summer internship here at NCERC. During which, I was given the opportunity to step into a leadership role while also gaining hands-on experience in chemical manufacturing. Given how rewarding my first experience at NCERC had been, I decided to return as a Visiting Engineering Research Fellow in order to continue my professional development in the field of biomanufacturing.

Looking back on my e...

Colin Buck

Visiting Research Fellow, July 2022 - March 2023

 How would you describe your fellowship experience at NCERC?

NCERC as challenging in the sense that I was challenged to learn new skills, fulfill new roles, and engage with the people around me under circumstances to which I had not been previously exposed. All of these elements together created a period of tremendous personal and professional growth for me.

What was your favorite ...

Philip Kukielski

Visiting Research Fellow, July 2022 - March 2023

How would you describe your fellowship experience at NCERC?

I would describe NCERC as one of the best decisions of my life. I’ve spent almost a decade in the workforce in different occupations and it’s safe to say that NCERC is unlike anything else. Not only can you acquire career-changing experience but nowhere else have I found people that are as “in it” fo...

If you want a degree in the STEM field, always go the extra mile to do two things: learn something new and make a good impression on those around you. Knowledge and experience are worth their weight in gold, and the value of good connections is second to none. Contentedness and complacency is the death of motivation. Step outside your comfort zone in search of opportunity and never hesitate to ask a question.

I chose to work as a Visiting Research Fellow because of the opportunities it presents...

Blas Quiroga III

Visiting Research Fellow, January-October 2022

How would you describe your fellowship experience at NCERC?

My time as a Visiting Research Fellow at NCERC was a positive experience. From the time the position was available, I knew it was the right opportunity for my career pathway. At NCERC, I was able to transition from academia to industry and from my previous background doing bacterial fermentation at benchtop scale. Dur...

My Experience as a Public Relations Intern at a National Biotechnology Research Center

When you think about the team at the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center, you likely first think of people working in the different laboratories or Pilot Plant and the research staff that supports all of the different projects taking place at the Center. Initially, you might not think of the administrative staff and the different team members who work on the marketing/public relations side of the busines...

In 2022, NCERC will feature it's exciting team - one member at a time.  As part of this series, the NCERC blog will be home to a Q&A featuring answers from various members of NCERC's staff so that you can get to know the individuals who make all of the projects at NCERC happen!

Dr. Yan Zhang, Director of Research

What are your job duties at NCERC?
Research Director

What is something you enjoy about your job at NCERC?
Explore innovative solutions in the science and technology field.

What ...

In 2022, NCERC will feature it's exciting team - one member at a time.  As part of this series, the NCERC blog will be home to a Q&A featuring answers from various members of NCERC's staff so that you can get to know the individuals who make all of the projects at NCERC happen!

Krystin Polhemus, Visiting Research Fellow

What are your job duties at NCERC?
Visiting Research Fellow

What is something you enjoy about your job at NCERC?
I love working with everyone here, the people really make ...

For several years, NCERC has utilized a variety of bio-based feedstocks, such as corn stover, hemp, and orchard waste, to research the conversion of cellulosic material to sugars and then to ethanol. In 2021, the NCERC research team expanded its portfolio of feedstocks to include Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) through funding provided by SIUE’s STEP grant program. This project sparked the first non-agricultural waste research project and led to a nearly-year-long pursuit of converting MSW int...

In 2022, NCERC will feature it's exciting team - one member at a time.  As part of this series, the NCERC blog will be home to a Q&A featuring answers from various members of NCERC's staff so that you can get to know the individuals who make all of the projects at NCERC happen!

Lilia Ban, Assistant Scientific Analyst

What are your job duties at NCERC?
I primarily perform testing in the analytical and fermentation labs, as well as manage and mentor our student workers, graduate students, an...

By: Jackie Hayes, Director of Business Development & Client Relations

For over fifteen years, NCERC has provided Ethanol Demonstration Kits to K12 teachers, FFA leaders, and community organizations that utilize them as a tool to showcase the benefits of agribusiness and bioprocessing. The “demo kits” uniquely provide an immersive view of the corn-to-ethanol process through showing the learner the different inputs and outputs of the process, including the feedstock, fermentation ingr...

In 2022, NCERC will feature it's exciting team - one member at a time.  As part of this series, the NCERC blog will be home to a Q&A featuring answers from various members of NCERC's staff so that you can get to know the individuals who make all of the projects at NCERC happen!

Dr. Jie Dong, Director of Fermentation

What are your job duties at NCERC?
As the Director of Fermentation, I provide scientific knowledge support for projects.

What is something you enjoy about your job at NCERC?
So...

In 2022, NCERC will feature it's exciting team - one member at a time.  As part of this series, the NCERC blog will be home to a Q&A featuring answers from various members of NCERC's staff so that you can get to know the individuals who make all of the projects at NCERC happen!

Jared Burns, Operations Manager

What are your job duties at NCERC?
Manage Pilot Plant trials, facility maintenance, inspections and safety.

What is something you enjoy about your job at NCERC?
I get to work with som...

In 2022, NCERC will feature it's exciting team - one member at a time.  As part of this series, the NCERC blog will be home to a Q&A featuring answers from various members of NCERC's staff so that you can get to know the individuals who make all of the projects at NCERC happen!

John Caupert, Executive Director

What are your job duties at NCERC?
As Executive Director, I oversee all financial and operational aspects of NCERC.

What is something you enjoy about your job at NCERC?
The fact that...

NCERC is incredibly proud of the dynamic team of women whose careers in the sciences contribute to our mission. To celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re showcasing five of our team members who play critical roles on our team and whose expertise in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields contribute to all of the projects that take place at NCERC. 

Learn more about them by reading about why they chose a career in the sciences:

In 2022, NCERC will feature it's exciting team - one member at a time.  As part of this series, the NCERC blog will be home to a Q&A featuring answers from various members of NCERC's staff so that you can get to know the individuals who make all of the projects at NCERC happen!

To kick things off, we're showcasing Kaitlin Lassiegne who has been with NCERC since October 2016 and serves as NCERC's Laboratory Project Manager.

Kaitlin Lasseigne, Laboratory Project Manager

What are your job d...

By John Caupert, Executive Director

October 2021

As the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) celebrates the 20^-Year Anniversary of its groundbreaking, I can’t help but to share a few thoughts regarding the growth and development of the ethanol industry, as well as its future.

In the year in which NCERC opened its doors for operation, 2003, the U.S. ethanol industry was a 2.8-billion-gallon industry. By the time NCERC celebrated its 15^th Anniversary of operations in 2018, th...

By Jackie Pohlman, Director of Business Development & Client Relations

June 2021

NCERC’s versatile fermentation capabilities make it an ideal partner for researchers developing novel synthetic strains with hopes to commercialize in the biochemical market. Not only does the facility house bioreactors with capacities in sequential increments that allow fermentations to go beyond the bench (5L-30L-150L-1500L-22,000L), NCERC also has an experienced staff with expertise in product scale up an...

By Jackie Pohlman, Director of Business Development & Client Relations
May 2021

NCERC’s roots in the corn ethanol industry are strong and the role we’ve played over the years is something we’re proud of. Since 2003, the researchers at NCERC have assisted countless ingredient and technology providers with improving their processes and products, supporting the efficiency of the corn ethanol industry as a whole and bringing down its carbon intensity.

In fact, every single corn et...

By John Caupert, NCERC Executive Director
April 2021

For nearly eighteen years, NCERC has been an intermediary for our stakeholders in industry, academia, government and trade associations. And while our position and the way that we work with our partners is unique, nothing could protect us from the storm that swept through in 2020 and ripped away every single contractual project that was taking place in our building.

That storm, the COVID-19 pandemic, brought both challenges and opportunities ...