EREF Blog

EREF Awards Four Scholarships

Raleigh, NC – The Board of Directors of the Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) is pleased to announce the award of scholarships to one Master’s degree and three doctoral students. A Robert P. Stearns/SCS Engineers master’s scholarship was given to Theodore McMahan, Gannon University. A Riethmiller/PTR Baler doctoral scholarship was given to Dean Straub, Purdue University. Both the Stearns and Riethmiller scholarships are named in honor of the current EREF Board members and their companies. Doctoral candidates Richa Karanjekar, University of Texas at Arlington, and Dianjun Ren, University of Virginia, received EREF scholarships. Details on the scholars and their topics of research are described below.

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EREF Seeks New Board Member from Academia with Expertise in Sustainability

Raleigh, NC – The Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) is an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is one of the largest sources of funding for sustainable solid waste research in the U.S.  EREF also provides scholarships to graduate level (Ph.D., MS) students with a collective vision to provide a clear path – through research and education – that translate ideas into action for sustainable waste management practices. Its mission is to fund and direct scientific research and educational initiatives for waste management practices to benefit industry participants and the communities they serve.

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EREF’s Regional Summit on Sustainable Solid Waste Practices & Research to Be Held September 7 – 8 in Raleigh, NC

Raleigh, NC — The Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF) will be holding a Regional Summit on Sustainable Solid Waste Practices & Research on September 7 – 8, 2011 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Regional Summit will feature a special Landfill Gas to Energy session and tour.

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EREF Receives Grant from the Biofuels Center of North Carolina

Raleigh, NC  The Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF), one of the largest sources of funding for solid waste research in the U.S., received $93,119 in funding from the North Carolina Biofuels Center (NCBC). The NCBC was created by the .C. legislature as the nation’s only private non-profit agency working comprehensively for all aspects of biofuels development. Its formation is based on the premise that biofuels provide enormous agricultural, economic and strategic value to the state. EREF received funding from the NCBC for a project entitled, “tilizing unicipal Solid Waste as a iofuel Feedstock.” The overarching goal of the project, which will be done in collaboration with Maverick Biofuels, North Carolina State University and Waste Industries, is to determine the potential for using Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) as a feedstock for biofuel production by evaluating the mechanisms and infrastructure needed to make this process a viable industry in the state of North Carolina.

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EREF Releases Targeted Request for Sustainable Solid Waste Research Proposals

The Environmental Research and Education Foundation (EREF), one of the largest sources of funding for solid waste research in the U.S., has unveiled a targeted request for sustainable solid waste research proposals.  In late 2010, EREF Board of Directors made a decision to ensure research funded in the future reflected EREF’s long-term strategic research plan to address all areas of integrated solid waste management, with a strong focus towards research that increased sustainable solid waste management practices. Sustainability, as it relates to solid waste management, is a focus on utilizing waste as a resource. “While EREF has always supported research and educational initiatives in all areas of solid waste, this targeted RFP exemplifies EREF’s commitment to funding cutting edge research on next-generation technologies to manage discarded materials,” noted Jim Dowland, Waste Management’s Vice President of Disposal Operations and chair of the EREF Board’s Research Project Committee.

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