Fall 2011 www.irsc.edu

New Center Combines

Energy with Entrepreneurship

What is Nanotechnology?

ExplorE planEt ocEan Florida oCEaN SCiENCES EduCatioN CENtEr lauNChEd at irSC

2 IRSC Innovation

Florida ocean education center based at irsc

IRSC Innovation 3

t ry to imagine sitting in a darkened room listening to the clear voice of an ocean research scientist. She lifts a small bottle filled with water and shakes it. Suddenly, the container emits a glowing turquoise light, the reaction of tiny

marine creatures who create bioluminescence when they are agitated.

Left: (L to R) Dr. William Tyler, IRSC Professor of Marine Biology, and student Hendricksa Ferdinand join in field research with Dr. Edwin R. Massey, IRSC President and Lead Principal Investigator COSEE Florida, and Dr. Edie Widder, CEO/President of ORCA and Principal Investigator COSEE Florida. Above: Dr. Susan Cook, COSEE Florida Project Director, guides students in water analysis.

Spreading understanding of the amazing world of “Planet Ocean” is the goal of a team of scientists and educators who recognize how closely Florida’s environmental and economic well-being is tied to the state’s ocean and 1,350 miles of coastline.

The Sunshine State is taking a major step toward public appreciation of the ocean and its impact on our daily lives and the environment with the new Florida Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE Florida). The multi-faceted initiative is based at the Indian River State College Science Center in collaboration with the Smithsonian Marine Station, Florida Institute of Technology and the Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA).

As the world grapples with earthquakes, tsunamis and oil spills, understanding of the ocean is more important than ever. Through COSEE Florida, a network of scientists will collaborate with teachers and college education majors to inspire interest in marine science in students from kindergarten to graduate school. Marine science curriculum

will be developed and disseminated to colleges and universities to share exciting new discoveries and boost scientific achievement. A fascinating talk on deep sea exploration and bioluminescence launched the free series of public programs, with future topics focusing on pollution and the impact of ocean processes on dolphins and turtles.

Other activities include community outreach across the state with the University of Florida Sea Grant Extension Program. Harbor

Branch Oceanographic Institute/Florida Atlantic University will provide scientific expertise and mentoring on the Treasure Coast.

Funded by $2.8 million in National Science Foundation grants to IRSC and its partners, COSEE Florida will ensure that Florida’s scientists, educators, students and citizens are well-prepared to address the challenges of the marine ecosystem and foster a healthy environment for those who live in Florida or visit our state. Visit www.coseeflorida.org.

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“What is nanotechnology, anyway?”

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Q: We hear a lot about nanotechnol-ogy, but many of us don’t understand much about it. What is it and how did it get started?

A: It’s an umbrella term for anything that is 100 nanometers or less, very small, at the intercellular level. The term is relatively new, but the manipu-lation of molecules has been around for millennia. The earliest examples are paints and pigments. For example, people ground vegetables to make dyes for centuries. From about 1900 to 1990 the term for this field was colloidal science and it captured the popular imagination through science fiction and how to make robots that are very small.

Q: Can you give us an example of how nanotechnology is being used today?

A: Hospitals are always concerned about maintaining a germ free en-vironment and a challenge was to develop surfaces that are resistant to the tiny bacteria of staph infections. Scientists recognized that shark skin has unique properties that protect it - nothing sticks to shark skin! They analyzed shark skin at the nano level and discovered that it has sharp peaks making it difficult for anything to ad-here to it. Using this discovery, medi-cal instruments are now patterned with the same surface topography, surface roughness, as shark skin, minimizing adherence of bacteria.

Q: What do you see as the future of nanotechnology?

A: The future of nanotechnology includes energy efficiency, energy generation, as well as biosensors and bioengineering.

Q: How is nanotechnology being used for energy efficiency?

A: As we saw in the shark skin ex-ample, by manipulating surfaces at the nano level, you can control the physical and chemical properties of what you are working with. The next question is how that manipulation can benefit us. One current use is the develop-ment of thin coatings that are installed on houses and windows to decrease the amount of non-visible light. This will not affect the amount of light that enters the house, but will keep the house cooler.

Another example involves batteries. Batteries can only recharge a limited number of times. The answer to get-ting batteries to last longer and charge faster is at the nano level. In the Materials Lab, in the College’s Brown Center for Innovation and Entrepre-neurship, now under construction, we have all the equipment to study this. Another project we will be doing in the lab will involve students in the transformation of 4” silicon wafers into photovoltaic cells. Each of the 24 students in the course will create a cell and then all 24 will be made into a solar panel. We are also planning on working with a local company to make solar lighting for parking lots and will link this project to the IRSC photonics/optics program in the Kight Center.

Q: That sounds really interesting. What other projects will students be involved in?

A: In the Nuclear Lab, we will teach students how to identify contamina-tion by radiation, and they will help to develop a new method of identification using a fogger. When the particles of

the fogger land, they turn purple and make it easier to zero in on contamina-tion. Students will also be working to improve the solar tracking units used in solar panel farms, which often break down because they are not sufficiently weatherproof. We will be developing an improved component design.

Students will engage in inter-disciplin-ary projects with the Chemistry and Biology Departments. To understand a fuel cell you need to understand chem-ical reactions and to convert waste to energy, you need to understand biologi-cal processes. The next step involves the Electrical Engineering Department. Once you convert electricity from bio-mass you have to feed it into invertors and transformers.

Other students will learn how to ana-lyze a building for energy efficiency through programs based in the Sus-tainable Building Design Lab in the new Center. We are really excited about all the educational opportunities that will become available in the new Brown Center for Innovation and Entre-preneurship.

column with Dr. Kevin cooper

irsc Program Manager/energy Grants coordinator

Prior to joining IRSC, Dr. Cooper directed Motorola’s Advanced Materials Lab. He holds 25 patents in advanced technology fields and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering/Nanotechnology from Arizona State University.

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BroWn cEntEr For InnoVatIon anD EntrEprEnEUrSHIp to GEnEratE EnErGY ExpErtISE

anD nEW JoBS

i t’s named the Brown Center, but the College’s newest facility is “green” all the way.

The three-story center now under construction at the Main Campus is named in recognition of Mike and Mimi Brown and the Brown family of Fort Pierce in recognition of their long-standing commitment to IRSC and education.

The multi-purpose Center will prepare students for cutting-edge careers in emerging technologies, particularly in energy related fields, and provide programs and services

to entrepreneurs and business start-ups gearing up to create new types of jobs.

Scheduled to open in early 2012, the building is constructed to Gold LEED standards for green construction, using recycled materials. A solar panel field and wind turbines will generate a portion of the power for the 65,000 square foot building. The plans call for an electric car charging station and electronic displays indicating the different energy sources powering the building.

Instruction in alternative energies will be integral to the Center’s mission. A flow loop simulator in the Nuclear Energy lab will provide a real-life training environment. Students will learn how to operate the equipment under the same rigid protocols used in the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant.

The Sustainable Building Design Lab will focus on advances in energy efficient construction. Segments of a 500-square foot house will be assembled and disassembled in the lab as a

IRSC Innovation 7

hands-on training resource. Students will use thermal cameras to determine energy leaks, learn how to weatherize and insulate, test for gases and evaluate hot water and plumbing systems.

A Materials Sciences Laboratory will provide students with the opportunity to tap into emerging technologies through nanotechnology, including transformation of silicon wafers into photovoltaic cells, biomedical and chemistry applications.

Students and entrepreneurs eager to transform this knowledge into new businesses will get the help they need from the Virtual Business Incubator. A hybrid of the traditional incubator model, the Virtual Incubator will provide guidance to business start-ups, temporary office and meeting space, workshops and networking opportunities.

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M any Florida residents are challenged by rising energy costs. Today, 73%

of the state’s electricity is powered by imported fossil fuels, with $30 billion exported to other states and countries. By retrofitting homes and businesses for energy efficiency and increasing use of Florida generated renewable energy, area residents can save money and new jobs can be created.

Students in the IRSC Energy Institute are ahead of the curve with new products and business plans. Jeff Adams built a solar powered demonstration trailer exhibiting solar systems for residential and commercial use. He is using the small house-on-wheels as a marketing tool for his start-up solar supplies company.

“With energy costs going up and the cost of solar products going down, I see this as a good business opportunity,” Adams said.

Rick Pare devised a solar panel using flat pipe technology that extracts more heat than standard pipes because of greater surface area. The panel mounts unobtrusively under soffits instead of on the roof, eliminating potential leaks through roof penetration.

“Everything in my panel is made in Florida, because I’m trying to keep it local and stimulate the economy,” Pare said.

The Fort Pierce resident is launching a new company, The Green Outlet, which will manufacture and hire locally. His newest product is a portable solar generator which can operate anything from construction equipment to a cell phone. It’s already been used to provide power at Vero Beach construction sites.

This grass roots approach will be one aspect of the Green District project to be implemented in Fort Pierce by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Laboratory (ORNL), with General Electric (GE), IRSC and

St. Lucie County. The program is designed to reduce energy use, lower energy costs and support creation of green jobs and businesses.

IRSC will collaborate with GE for the research and educational aspects of the energy efficiency project. Leading scientists and energy experts will share their knowledge with IRSC students who will be prepared for internships and jobs in the green energy sector.

Nuclear power is an alternative energy industry generating jobs and career advancement for Research Coast residents. Fifty-seven graduates of the IRSC Power Plant Technology Institute have been promoted or hired by Florida Power & Light. Among the recent hires was Olivia Bell, a single mother of three sons. Now working as an Instrument Controls Technician, Bell is creating a secure future for her family and saving to buy a house. Other Research Coast residents will have the opportunity to enter the program through scholarships funded by a

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$200,000 grant to IRSC from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

IRSC’s leadership in development of a sustainable region and track record in nuclear power training was recognized with the award of a prestigious National Science Foundation grant of $3.1 million to

Fifty-seven graduates of the IRSC Power Plant Technology Institute have been promoted

or hired by FPL at starting salaries between $45,000 and $50,000 plus benefits.

Top photo this page: IRSC Energy Institute student and entrepreneur Rick Pare powers a saw with a portable solar generator he built with Florida manufactured materials. With contracts already in hand from around the country and the Caribbean, Pare is launching a new business to manufacture the portable solar units on the Research Coast.

develop the Regional Center for Nuclear Education and Training. IRSC will partner with nuclear industry representatives and colleges across the Southeast to develop a model for nuclear energy training and respond to the industry’s hiring needs.

“IRSC is well known as a leader in energy education, and we are working with colleges and industry leaders around the country to develop the new nuclear education center, as well as local economic development agencies and Chambers of Commerce to foster regional sustainability,” said Dr. Edwin R. Massey, IRSC President. “These collaborative initiatives will place the Research Coast far ahead of other communities in building a more energy efficient and productive economy.”

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R esearch that will save lives and combat diseases is underway every day

at world-class biotechnology institutes on Florida’s “Research Coast.” Torrey Pines Institute has developed a revolutionary method to rapidly identify new drugs

new IrSc center to Support Medical and Scientific researchScience, Technology, Engineering, Math Center to open in 2012

for pain, addiction, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. This drug discovery method dramatically shortens the time it takes to move a potential drug from the laboratory to use in patients. The Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute of Florida is

conducting research to find cures for cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis and diseases associated with viral infections.

Scientific collaboration in the region will combat a major threat to the citrus industry. The USDA

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Laboratory is working with Torrey Pines regarding the use of peptides to control serious bacterial diseases such as citrus greening.

All these institutions require a laboratory-trained workforce to provide assistance as they find answers to some of the world’s most pressing medical and scientific questions. To fully prepare students for growing employment opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math, IRSC is constructing the $18.5 million STEM Center at its St. Lucie West Campus, in the hub of the region’s biotechnology corridor.

The three-story, 56,000 square-foot building will house seven unique

“The education students receive at IRSC gives them the hands-on laboratory experience they need to work as lab assistants at Torrey Pines. The STEM Center will further enhance these skills so that IRSC graduates are valuable contributory members of the Torrey Pines team as they conduct life-saving research.”

dr. richard a. Houghten, Founder/President/ceo, torrey Pines institute for Molecular studies

“The programs housed in the STEM Center will provide a world-class learning environment to support the VGTI team working on cures for diseases.”

dr. raflick-Pierre sekaly, co-director and scientific director, Vaccine & Gene therapy institute of Florida.

science laboratories in genetics, ecology, chemistry, molecular science, botany, and microbiology. State-of-the-art computer-equipped teaching labs will be designed to link math and science concepts to practical research, engineering and industry applications through real-world projects.

Through the IRSC Foundation, the goal of the College is to raise $1 million in private support

to enhance the technology and equipment needed for the STEM Center. To find out how to support

this effort, contact the IRSC Foundation at (772) 462-4786 or email adecker@irsc.edu.

IRSC chemistry student Jason Fenwick was one of the first lab assistants hired by Torrey Pines Institute at their new Port St. Lucie facility.

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Robert Simmons, right, founder of Sustainable Garden Supply, demonstrates aeroponic plant growth to students Alexa Noorian and Shelby Westberry.

sustainable Garden supply business

Grows in irsc business and

technology incubator

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W hat if it was possible to grow wholesome food without using soil

or fresh vegetables and without wasting hours pulling weeds? What if it was possible to grow 30 plants in a four-square-foot area 45% faster than in soil?

Sustainable Garden Supply, Inc. (SGS), a client in the IRSC Business and Technology Incubator, has the answer. SGS has developed the Airgrown Tower, a closed-loop aeroponic system. The vertical tower sits on a reservoir containing water and a plant nutrient solution which is

indian riVer state colleGebusiness and tecHnoloGY

incubator

HELPING ENTREPRENEURS LAUNCH AND ExPAND SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES

•Affordablefurnishedofficeswithcomputer

•Complimentaryhigh-speedT1connection

•Businessexpertiseandtechnicalsupportservices

•On-sitebusinessclassesandseminars

•Networkingopportunities

•Accesstofax,copierandmeetingrooms

•UseoftheJohnsonAuditoriumandStrategicPlanningCenterattheIRSCChastain Campus in Stuart. Incubator located at 924 SE Central Parkway, Stuart, Florida (772) 419-5690 or email kssmith@irsc.edu

The Innovation Incubator providing business consultation, meeting space, workshops and networking opportunities will open in the Brown Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Main Campus in Fort Pierce in early 2012.

misted on the plant’s roots. The tower has dedicated “plant sites” allowing 30 plants to be grown in a single tower. Since neither soil nor growing medium is used there is nowhere for weeds to grow. Spraying with herbicides is not necessary and no toxic residues are left on produce.

In addition to home gardeners, SGS has attracted commercial growers interested in the new firm’s commercial towers which hold up to 60 plants, enabling 9,500 plants to grow in an area that would accommodate only 2,500 in-ground plants.

SGS has also earned the USDA “Certified Organic” seal of approval. Commercial growers using the SGS system can earn the “Certified Organic” designation for their produce much faster than traditional methods, often in a matter of weeks.

Sustainable Garden Supply is based at the IRSC Business and Technology Incubator in Stuart. For more information, visit www.sustanablegardensupply.com or contact Robert Simmons at 772-260-3579.

Clark students Carissa Nichols and Sara Steele use GPS to map locations for ecological analysis.

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A rmed with cameras, measur-ing sticks, and sunscreen, 12 high school students

from Clark Advanced Learning Center gained hands-on experience evalu-ating Florida’s ecosystem through field studies at the DuPuis Manage-ment Area in western Martin County. Students from the public charter high school on the IRSC Chastain Campus mapped the area, monitored growth of native vegetation and docu-mented plant diversity.

Squatting in a patch of saw palmetto, Clark junior Shailah Steck found Cae-sar weed, chalky bluestem, and rusty lyonia, and left the patch with an important lesson, “There is actually more to what you see; you just have to get down and experience what’s going on around you.”

The students learned about the ecosystem with the assistance of staff from the South Florida Water Management District through the Legacy Project and Florida Center for Environmental Studies operated by Florida Atlantic University. It was their second visit to the 22,000

acre site as part of an IRSC Dual Enrollment class enabling them to earn high school and college credits simultaneously.

As part of the course, the students survey a section of pine flatwoods before the District shreds the growth and razes it in a controlled burn. The goal is to convert the property to its natural state by controlling vegeta-tion growth and encouraging species diversity. Finally, the students will return to the site to document how the land regenerates.

“Through this experience our stu-dents understand the connections between science and nature,” said Susan Roark, Assistant Director of Clark. “It’s a unique opportunity for high school students to conduct real research which will be utilized by the South Florida Water Management District to protect our ecosystem.”

The project is one of many enriched learning opportunities available to Clark students, including job shadow-ing and business internships related to their career interests.

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“Education is the pathway that leads to individual empowerment and the realization of a community’s full potential.”

edwin. r. Massey, Ph.d., irsc President

Communities that Support higher Education

Flourish •Facilitate achievement in science, technology, engineering and math (steM)

•Supporttrainingforcareersinbiomedicalresearch

•Encourageentrepreneurshipinemergingfields

•Helpdeservingstudentsobtainaneducation

Kayla English, R.N. Martin Memorial HospitalRecipient – IRSC Foundation Scholarship

InDIan rIVEr StatE collEGE FoUnDatIonProviding hope, scholarships, and educational support for 46 years

leave a legacy or make a difference now(772) 462-4786 www.irscfoundation.org

Institutional Advancement DepartmentINDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE3209 Virginia AvenueFort Pierce, FL 34981-5596

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDFT. PIERCE, FL

PERMIT NO. 281

IRSC Innovation Fall 2011

Introducing

the new magazine of

indian riVer state colleGeIn this Issue —

How Energy Lights Up New Opportunities

Virtual Incubator to Foster Business Start-ups

Exciting Discoveries Shared Through Florida’s Ocean Education

Adam Carroll, pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology at IRSC, gains laboratory experience as he prepares for a career in medical research.

2012 best colleGesirsc is ranked as one of the top public regional colleges

in the southern u.s.