BioSolar Adds N.C. A&T Engineering Team to Strengthen Efforts to Increase Capacity and Reduce Cost of Lithium-ion Batteries

"BioSolar, Inc., a developer of breakthrough energy storage technology and materials, has entered into a new sponsored research agreement with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to strengthen the engineering development efforts of its battery technology. The company’s goal is to increase the capacity and reduce the cost of lithium-ion batteries.

Dr. Sung-Jin Cho, assistant professor in the Department of Nanoengineering at North Carolina A&T State University, will be the lead investigator of the newly initiated sponsored research. Cho also serves as Director of Nano Energy Laboratory, a role he has held since August 2014. Prior to his current position, Cho was a technical lead at Johnson Controls Inc., Battery Technology Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 2008 to 2014. He led the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) program to design and evaluate battery material and lithium-ion cell engineering for automotive application for over six years. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D. in the U.S., Cho worked on lithium-ion battery technology development in Korea, and held a number of positions at LG. His research encompasses fundamental materials studies such as catastrophic failure mechanism study, synthesis and physical characterization, as well as device and system design and fabrication.

This agreement represents a natural progression from the scientific development phase represented by the company’s existing sponsored research program at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), now scheduled to conclude in October 2016. In place since 2014, this agreement and subsequent scientific efforts have resulted in the creation of innovative intellectual properties that form the basis of BioSolar’s critical core technologies. The company currently co-owns two patent-applications for a supercapacitor technology and its super cathode technology with UCSB.

“We are excited to have Dr. Cho lead our new engineering and commercialization program at North Carolina A&T State University,” said Dr. David Lee, CEO of BioSolar. “His experience in developing high energy lithium batteries and process development draws many parallels to what we are seeking to build upon. We believe this new effort will positively complement our previous activities at UCSB, bringing us one step closer to achieving our corporate objectives and ultimately realizing value on behalf of our shareholders.”

BioSolar is developing a breakthrough technology to double the storage capacity, lower the cost and extend the life of lithium-ion batteries. A battery contains two major parts, a cathode and an anode, that function together as the positive and negative sides. Inspired by nature, BioSolar is developing a novel cathode based on inexpensive conductive polymers and organic materials that can fully utilize the storage capacity of conventional anodes. Founded with the vision of developing breakthrough energy technologies, BioSolar's previous successes include the world's first UL approved bio-based back sheet for use in solar panels. 

About North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the nation’s largest historically black university. It is a land-grant, higher research university and constituent member of the University of North Carolina system. A&T is known for its leadership in producing graduates in engineering, agriculture and other STEM fields. The university was founded in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina. "

- A Press Release

N.C. A&T Initiated Urban Farming Enterprise Gets Underway in Food Desert

"The first crop is being planted this week in a new, urban vegetable farming enterprise on Phillips Avenue in Greensboro, spearheaded by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in partnership with Concerned Citizens of North East Greensboro (CCNEG). The urban farm is aimed at addressing the health, nutrition and enterprise needs of one of Greensboro’s largest and most longstanding food deserts.

The United States Department of Agriculture-funded project represents the culmination of several years of community organizing by Dr. Terrence Thomas a social sciences researcher in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at N.C. A&T.

“Residents of northeast Greensboro have been concerned about their limited access to fresh food for many years, and so we have been working with them to find solutions. We hope this will become a model for how communities can develop their own healthy food environments and enterprises,” Thomas said, adding that the project is in keeping with the College’s Local Food and Health Initiative.

The first planting is a crop of cucumbers under a 30-by-90-foot high-tunnel greenhouse, and the first employee has been hired to maintain and manage the enterprise. The plan calls for two additional high tunnels and two additional employees. Concerned Citizens is involved in all the decision making, and is responsible for marketing the produce at affordable prices to residents and, it is hoped, to a new community-owned food co-op being developed nearby. The plan is for N.C. A&T to turn over full management of the vegetable farm to CCNEG. Technical assistance and training is being provided by The Cooperative Extension Program at A&T.

Thomas, whose academic interest is in studying how community-based organizations solve complex problems, has combined outreach with research and education in the project. Numerous nutrition and food-preparation workshops that he organized throughout 2015 for the neighborhood were well attended and enthusiastically received, and he hopes to continue them, if future funding becomes available. Thomas also hopes to conduct longer-term studies on the health status of residents impacted by the new food environment.

“Behavior is constrained by the environment, so education alone does not have an effect, unless you also provide access. This is aimed at solving both problems,” he said.

The project is also aimed at invigorating a spirit of entrepreneurship in young people, says Dr. Bob Davis, a retired A&T professor of sociology, and president of CCNEG. He said the urban farm proceeds will be returned to support the farm and, as it grows, more jobs.

“The neighborhood is enthusiastic about seeing this going full blast, and Concerned Citizens hopes this will get more young people interested and involved,” Davis said.

About North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the nation’s largest historically black university. It is a land-grant, higher research university and constituent member of the University of North Carolina system. A&T is known for its leadership in producing graduates in engineering, agriculture and other STEM fields. The university was founded in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina."

- A Press Release

N.C. A&T Celebrates 125th Anniversary of Second Morrill Act of 1890

"North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is joining the nation’s other 18 historically black land-grant universities in organizing a slate of events to celebrate 125 years of providing access to all citizens through education, research, and Cooperative Extension outreach.

The celebration commemorates the 125th anniversary of the Second Morrill Act legislation passed by Congress in 1890, which opened the doors of public higher education to all Americans.  This landmark legislation stipulated for the first time that African Americans were to be included in the U.S. Land-Grant University System.  Its intent was similar to the First Morrill Act of 1862, which established funding for a public land-grant college in every state that would be “accessible to all, especially to the sons of toil.”  Southern and Border States, however, refused enrollment to African American citizens.  Congress allowed these states to establish separate institutions through the Second Morrill Act.  The result is a legacy of achievement, access to equal opportunity, and an emphasis on service to the underrepresented by the community of historically black land-grant universities, known collectively as “the 1890s.”

N.C. A&T’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences is organizing the university’s celebration. It will begin with a lecture by Dr. M. Ray McKinnie, associate dean, on Feb. 17, then building to a convocation at the Library of Congress in July, and culminating with a National Day of Prayer in August.  The campus then will turn its attention to the 125th anniversary of the establishment of N.C. A&T in 1891. That yearlong celebration begins in August.

“This is a special celebration for the 1890 community as we look back on our mission and long list of achievements,” said Dr. Bill Randle, dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.  “Many of us have become flagship institutions in our state.  We are especially proud of our accomplishments and future here at N.C. A&T State University.

“We are delighted and proud to use the anniversary celebration of the Second Morrill Act to educate our community and state about the contributions N.C. A&T and the historically black land-grant colleges and universities have made to our nation’s progress, both economically and socially,” added Dr. Shirley Hymon-Parker, associate dean of A&T’s Agricultural Research Program.

Please log on to 125th Anniversary Celebration of Second Morrill Act of 1890 website for more information and updates. For a press kit complete with the schedule of events, a brief history and pictures, visit the media resourceswebpage.

Partial schedule of events:

March 19 - Observance of anniversary celebration during Founder’s Day Convocation, (10 a.m.-noon, A&T Campus)

March 19 – Second Morrill Act Celebration Luncheon, ticketed event (12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. Revolution Mill Event Center, 1200 Revolution Mill Drive, Greensboro)

March 25 – Small Farmers’ Appreciation Day (during Small Farms Week, March 22-28), featuring observances of anniversary celebration

April 23 – 1890 Day, with Wellness Walk/Run and Community Health Fair (Noon-3 p.m., A&T campus, Corbett Sports Center)

Aug. 30 – National Day of Prayer, commemorating the signing of the Second Morrill Act"

- A Press Release

Guilford County teen participates in N.C. A&T agriculture institute

Daija Whitaker of Greensboro participated

in the annual Institute for Future

Agricultural Leaders at North Carolina

Agricultural and Technical State

University June 15 – 20. The pre-college

summer program introduces

college-bound high school

students to professions in

agricultural industries.

"Daija Whitaker of Greensboro was among 39 rising seniors from across North Carolina who were selected for participation in the 2014 Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University June 15 – 20. The institute is an annual pre-college summer program for selected North Carolina high school students interested in agricultural professions.

The program, now in its 27^th year, is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Farm Bureau and N.C. A&T State University. Whitaker was among 39 rising seniors from across North Carolina who participated in the institute to learn about the wide array of professional opportunities offered through the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at N.C. A&T, including veterinary science, laboratory animal science, biotechnology, food science, nutrition, fashion design, child development, biological engineering, natural resources, urban horticulture, landscape architecture, agribusiness, economics, and more. Activities during IFAL also focused on leadership development and other social skills."

A Press Release

A&T Appoints Interim Dean for the School of Education

DR. MIRIAM L. WAGNER

"North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has named Dr. Miriam L. Wagner as the interim dean for the School of Education, effective July 1.

As interim dean, Wagner will serve as chief academic and administrative officer of the School of Education. This position reports to the Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.

 “I am delighted to work with Dr. Wagner as the interim dean of the School of Education. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge and is a proven leader at North Carolina A&T,” said Whitehead.

Wagner will be responsible for the overall administration of academic and research programs in the School. The position also includes oversight of student recruitment and retention, budgetary management, faculty development, evaluation and assessment of academic programs, and maintaining high academic and research standards of the School.

Wagner joined North Carolina A&T State University in 1992. In 2011, she was appointed chair of the department of human development and services where she supervised faculty and staff in the rehabilitation counseling, school counseling, mental health counseling, adult education and school administration. As chair, Wagner managed the implementation of the doctoral rehabilitation counseling program in 2013 and the Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic in 2012.

Prior to her professorship at North Carolina A&T, Wagner served as director of counseling and assistant professor of psychology at Winston-Salem State University. She received a PhD in community counseling and bachelor’s degrees in psychology and English literature from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and master’s degrees in human resources and school counseling from N.C. A&T."

A Press Release

Aggieland is Part of a Nation of Makers

"North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant university, which means, among many other activities, we make things.

Our researchers make things you can hold or touch, like hypoallergenic peanuts and asphalt that requires less petroleum. And they make things less tangible, like biometric software, carbon nanotubes and history.

With a little elbow grease and lots of collaboration, our researchers and students spend time discovering, designing, building, and growing new ideas and solutions.

North Carolina A&T's motto is "Mens et Manus": Mind and Hands. Those words set the university on a course more than 100 years ago. Today, that course brings N.C. A&T together with President Barak Obama and more than 150 other universities to celebrate a Nation of Makers (#NationOfMakers on Twitter).

"On Wednesday, June 18, President Obama will host the first ever White House Maker Faire and meet with students, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch new businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and fuel the renaissance in American manufacturing. The President will also announce new steps the Administration and its partners are taking to support the ability of more Americans, young and old, to have to access to these tools and techniques and brings their ideas to life.

"America has always been a nation of tinkerers, inventors, and entrepreneurs. In recent years, a growing number of Americans have gained access to technologies such as 3D printers, laser cutters, easy-to-use design software, and desktop machine tools. These tools are enabling more Americans to design and build almost anything.

"The rise of the Maker Movement represents a huge opportunity for the United States. Nationwide, new tools for democratized production are boosting innovation and entrepreneurship in manufacturing, in the same way that the Internet and cloud computing have lowered the barriers to entry for digital startups, creating the foundation for new products and processes that can help to revitalize American manufacturing."

At A&T we celebrate our researchers, like Dr. Salil Desai, Dr. Stephanie Luster-Teasley, and Dr. Jianmei Yu, who all have received patents recently for things they've made. We celebrate Dr. Ellie Fini and Dr. Ajit Kelkar, who have made things that they've been able to build businesses around. And we celebrate our students – those who have competed in the annual Innovation Challenge and those who we feature on Aggie Entrepreneurs webpage – who aren’t waiting to graduate before they start making things.

New products and processes that can help revitalize American manufacturing: N.C. A&T joins the nation to celebrate our work and the nation of makers.

For more information on A&T research initiatives, visit http://www.ncat.edu/research/index.html."

A Press Release

A&T PROFESSOR’S RESEARCH INTO COPD WINS PRESTIGIOUS SUPPORT

"GREENSBORO, N.C. -Dr. Jenora Waterman has made one key discovery toward improving the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among agricultural workers, and now she’s been accepted into a prestigious career development program to advance her research.       

Dr. Waterman is an assistant professor of functional genomics in the Department of Animal Sciences at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. COPD is a major cause of death in the United States, most typically found among smokers.  A less studied aspect of the disease is the 7% of its U.S. victims who are agricultural workers. They can develop COPD as a result of long-term exposure to animal production facilities containing dust that contributes to respiratory diseases.

High-density swine production houses are one example of such facilities.

Dr. Waterman’s first key finding came from comparing pigs raised indoors with those raised outdoors. Pigs aren’t as severely affected by the dust as humans are, but her work demonstrated that their respiratory systems are uniquely adapted to their housing type.

“My lab recently showed for the first time that pigs reared indoors and those raised outdoors exhibit structural and cellular differences in their respiratory systems,” Dr. Waterman says.

“The next step will be studying those differences to identify potential biomarkers that could serve as diagnostic or prognostic markers of agriculture-related COPD in humans.”

Dr. Waterman will take that step as an NC TraCS K-Scholar, a professional development honor for junior faculty members funded through the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program of the National Institutes of Health.

She will receive funding for her research and mentored training for three years. Two faculty members from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will serve as mentors, Dr. Claire Doerschuk, a medical doctor and pathologist, and Dr. Lee Graves, a pharmacologist.

The scholars program is designed to train younger investigators in a dramatically new approach to research. It’s based on interdisciplinary teamwork, because the traditional single-discipline focus isn’t well suited to attacking complex biomedical problems or to putting new discoveries into practice as quickly as possible.  And it’s translational – work that seeks to improve the health of the population by transforming discoveries from laboratory into clinical practice in community and health policy.

N.C. A&T is a partner in the CTSA grant won by UNC-CH last fall. Dr. Waterman’s grant is funded through the North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute, the integrated home of the CTSA program at UNC-CH. 

The goal of NC TraCS is to accelerate the translation of clinical research results into the treatment of disease.

Dr. Waterman is the director of the Respiratory Biology and Toxicology Laboratory at A&T. Her interests include respiratory cell biology, environmental toxicology, and cellular pathology.  Her research focuses on the extent of environmental and functional genomic/proteomic influences on the pathophysiology of agriculture-related respiratory diseases.

She is an affiliated faculty member of the A&T bioengineering program and a contributing faculty member of the doctoral program in energy and environmental systems. Dr. Waterman was named the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Outstanding Junior Researcher this year and research Rookie of the Year in 2011. She serves as a member of the N.C. A&T Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and the Institutional Biosafety Committee. 

Dr. Waterman is a native of Los Angeles. She was a United Negro College Fund Scholar at Bennett College, where she earned her B.S. degree in biology, magna cum laude. She taught at Page Senior High School in Greensboro before receiving her master’s in biology from N.C. A&T. Her Ph.D. in functional genomics is from N.C. State University."

A Press Release