UMB/UNIVERSITY OF
MINNESOTA
An evolving partnership between
the University of Minnesota (UM)
and the Norwegian University of
Life Sciences (UMB):
A model for US-Norway research
collaboration
Cooperation: an evolving
process
• Step one: explore mutual interests
• Step two: establish research teams, develop
“road map”
• Step three: support, facilitate team research
• Step four: get updates of research,new
opportunities
• Step five: formally link UM-UMB through a
joint endowment
• Step six: further updates, student mobility
planning, new initiatives
• Step seven: appoint co-chairs, begin planning
for 2007 conference
Timeline (2003-2005)
Step 1
2003
Seminar
Minn
Explore
Step 2
2004
Seminar
Norway
Create Teams
“Road map”
Step 3
Support
Research
MN, Nor
Make
Plans
Obtain
funds
Step 4
2005
Seminar
Minn
Provide
Updates
Step one: 2003 Research
and Technology Seminar
at UM
The Environmental Impact of
Agriculture and Energy Use:
How new technologies, including
biotechnology, can provide
sustainable solutions
Key Participants
• Government – Norway, Minn, US
• University admin – UM, UMB,UoO
• Faculty – UM, UoO
• Industry/NGO – Norway, Minn
• Royal Norwegian Consulate
2003 Seminar Topics
I. The Environmental Impact of
Current Agribusiness Practices
II. The Environmental Impact of
Different Energy Uses
III. Bio-based industrial materials
and opportunities
IV. Hydrogen as a Fuel from
Biological Sources
2003 Seminar Conclusions
• Establish bi-lateral research agreements
• Hold a follow up seminar in 2004
• Develop cross-country,“virtual”
graduate schools in bioenergy/ag
• Pursue joint industrial-academic
ventures
Timeline (2003-2005)
Step 1
2003
Seminar
Minn
Explore
Step 2
2004
Seminar
Norway
Create Teams
“Road map”
Step 3
Support
Research
MN, Nor
Make
Plans
Obtain
funds
Step 4
2005
Seminar
Minn
Provide
Updates
Step two: 2004 Research
and Technology Seminar
at Staur Gjestegård,
Norway
The Environmental Impact of
Agriculture and Energy Use:
GENOMICS and BIOMASS /
BIOENERGY
2004 Seminar Topics
I. R&D Cooperation U.S.-Norway Goals and Potentials
II. Specific Project Areas
III. Educational Opportunities
IV. Industrial Linkages
Initial Projects
• Genomics – animal,plant,food
safety
– Animal
– Microbe
– Mycotoxin resistance in cereals
• Bioenergy/Bioproduct
– Carbon squestration/biomass estim
– Economics of bioenergy –
forest/agriculture
– Biofuel/biorefining
2004 Seminar
Conclusions: Developing a
“Road Map”
VISION
Catalyze the formation of “dream
teams” who will conduct
breakthrough research to provide
sustainable solutions within
biomass/bioenergy and functional
genomics
Milestones
• Solicit applications & fund seed
grants
• Plan, hold next seminar
• Develop endowed funding for
“Jubilee” chair
Timeline (2003-2005)
Step 1
2003
Seminar
Minn
Explore
Step 2
2004
Seminar
Norway
Create Teams
“Road map”
Step 3
Support
Research
MN, Nor
Make
Plans
Obtain
funds
Step 4
2005
Seminar
Minn
Provide
Updates
Step 3: Support Team
Research
• Norway – through RCN and
Ministries
• UM – through IREE and other
• Example
– Project 6: “Liquefaction of Biomass
for Biofuel Production”
– Norway/UMB - $500K
– UM/IREE - $630K (part of this)
– Fund complementary facilities on two
campuses
Norway Funding
Forskergruppe
Prosj.leder ved
UMB
1. Genomic studies of pathogenic bacteria related
to food safety and animal and human health
Ingolf Nes
2. Functional genomics to advance dairy cattle
health
Sigbjørn Lien
3. Mycotoxin prevention in cereal crops by
enhanced host plant resistance
Åsmund Bjørnstad
4. Developing and testing airborne LiDAR-based
sampling procedures for regional forest
biomass and carbon estimation
Erik Næsset
5. Bioenergy based on forest and agriculture
resources – ecological, technical and
economic potential in Norway and
Minnesota with emphasis on carbon
sequestration impacts and rural value added
6. Liquefaction of biomass for biofuel production
Kostnad
kNOK
Næringsliv i
Norge
Område
Tildelt kNOK
650’
TINE ba
BoviBank as
Mattrygghet
388’
680’
Geno as
BoviBank as
Mattrygghet
406’
600
Graminor as
Mattrygghet
358’
750’
Prevista as
Bioenergi
448’
Birger Solberg
750’
Statkraft as
Prevista as
Bioenergi
448’
Petter Heyerdahl
680’
X-waste as
Bioenergi
Bioprodukter
406’
Timeline (2003-2005)
Step 1
2003
Seminar
Minn
Explore
Step 2
2004
Seminar
Norway
Create Teams
“Road map”
Step 3
Support
Research
MN, Nor
Make
Plans
Obtain
funds
Step 4
2005
Seminar
Minn
Provide
Updates
Step four: 2005 Research
and Technology Seminar
at UM
The Environmental Impact of
Agriculture and Energy Use:
GENOMICS and BIOMASS /
BIOENERGY
2005 Seminar Topics
I. Project Updates
II. Partnership Opportunities
III. New Project Initiatives
IV. Project Plans
V. Educational and Student
Opportunities
Genomics Projects
• Project 1: “Genomic Studies of
Pathogenic Bacteria Related to Food
Safety and Animal and Human Health”
• Project 2:“Functional Genomics to
Advance Dairy Cattle Health”
• Project 3: “Mycotoxin Prevention in
Cereal Crops by Enhanced Host Plant
Resistance”
Bioenergy/Bioproducts
Projects:
• Project 4: “Developing and testing airborne
LiDAR-Based Sampling Procedures for Regional
Forest Biomass and Carbon Estimation”
• Project 5: “Bioenergy Based on Forestry and
Agricultural Resources: Ecological, Technical,
and Economic Potential in Norway and
Minnesota with Emphasis on Carbon
Sequestration Impacts and Rural Value-Added”
• Project 6: “Liquefaction of Biomass for Biofuel
Production”
Timeline (2005-2007)
Step 5
Establish
Centennial
Chair
Step 6
2006
Workshop
Norway
Provide
Updates
Step 7
Appoint
Centennial
chairs
Plan 2007
conference
Step five: Establish
Norwegian Chair and
Fellowship
• UM/UMB sign MOU Spring 2006
• Norwegian Centennial Interdisciplinary
Chair
– Professor at UM or UMB
– “Catalyze the formation of ‘dream teams’”
– “Biofuels, biobased products, and functional
genomics (..food security)”
• Fellowship
– Graduate level
– UM and Norwegian universities
Funding
• Norway and the U of M each donate $ 750,000 to the
University of Minnesota Foundation. Earnings will
provide scholarships, funds to promote the research
collaborations, and part-time salaries for chairholders.
• In addition the founders will seek gifts totalling at
least $ 250,000 from the Norwegian-American
community, which, when combined with a match of
UoM funds, will create an endowed Graduate
Fellowship Fund.
• The research teams must apply for public or private
funding for projects.
Chair Model
Transatlantic Research Teams
incl. Bachelor-, Master-, PhD- and
PostDoc-students
Industry
Industry
Other
universities
Other
universities
UMN
Bilateral
Agreement
Chairholder
UMB
Chairholder
Executive Committee
Chair Tasks
•
•
•
•
•
•
Catalyze the formation of strong
research teams and organize annual
workshops
Promote the cooperation
Enhance student mobility
Include other universities
Include industry
Report to the Executive Committee
Executive Committee
• Appoint chair(s)
• Meet twice a year
• Membership
– Rector of UMB - Hove
– Dean of CBS - Elde
– External member from Norway - Grue
– External member from Minnsota – I.
Sorensen
Timeline (2005-2007)
Step 5
Establish
Centennial
Chair
Step 6
2006
Workshop
Norway
Provide
Updates
Step 7
Appoint
Centennial
chairs
Plan 2007
conference
Step six: 2006 Research and
Technology Workshop at UMB
• Project updates
• New initiatives
• Breakout sessions
– Project planning
– Planning for 2007 Academic and
Industry workshop
• Student mobility
Bioenergy Project
Updates/Plans:
Highlights
• LiDAR-based sampling
– UMB – technology
– UM – modeling for forests US
– Multiple funding Norway/IREE US
• Bioenergy economics – just plan
• Biofuel/Bioproducts
– Integrate/coordinate approaches
– Grad student link
Light Detection and Ranging –
A Review
• LiDAR = laser range finder
– Ground elevations
– Canopy heights
– Structural information
• Leaf area
• Percent crown cover
• Tree stocking density
Source: TopScan, Germany
• Advantages
– Cost efficient for large areas
– High spatial resolution (~30 cm)
– Numerous applications
• Forest biomass, growth and
change detection, carbon
exchange
• Wildlife habitat
• Disturbance (e.g., pests,
blowdowns)
Major Objectives – LiDAR
Research
Linking soil
organic
carbon pools and
below-ground
carbon
Procedures for
resource inventory
for improved
management
1. Net primary production
and carbon sequestration
Forest resource
inventory in
Wisconsin
2. Inventory of forest resources
for operational forest management
Assessing wood
quality of forest
resources
Forest resource
inventory in
Canada
Estimating
Biomass
boreal
and
National
IREE
forest
carbon
Forest
initiative biomass
assess- Inventory
in MN from NASA
ment in in Norway
Icesat
Quebec
LiDAR
3. Regional and national procedures for
forest biomass and carbon monitoring
Team 6: Biofuel production through hydrothermal treatment and
microwave assisted pyrolysis of biomass
Biomass
Refining
Bulk Biomass
Transport
Densified Chemical
Feedstock (DCF)
On-Site or Mobile
Processing
Facility (OMPF)
Central Processing
Facility (CPF)
Products
New concept: Combined “On-site” and
Central processing
Pilot Reactor at UMB
Continuous Microwave Assisted Pyrolysis Reactor at
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Feedstock
hopper
Gas output to
distillation
3 x1.5 kW generators
Waveguide
Screw reactor 2.5 m x 25 cm Ø
Possible New Initiatives
• Enzyme-based lignin processing –
“Lignocellulose to Biofuel”
• Climate
• Arctic research
• Multiple stressors
Timeline (2005-2007)
Step 5
Establish
Centennial
Chair
Step 6
2006
Workshop
Norway
Provide
Updates
Step 7
Appoint
Centennial
chairs
Plan 2007
conference
Step seven: Chairs begin,
2007 planning started
• Co-chairs – Skjelhaugen (UMB),
Sheridan (UM) begin with mobility
of students associated with
research teams
• 2007 Conference planning
– UM (May 13-15)
– Emphasis on industrial partnerships
Lessons/Directions
•
•
•
•
Identify “champions” on both sides
Build on mutual research strengths and needs
Provide initial funding
Firm up linkage with jointly-funded
endowment, chairs, fellowships
• Gradually expand to other related research
interests
• Add student components
• Add industrial component(s) – focus of 2007
seminar