Advanced BioFuels USA

(US Department of Energy)  Last week concluded the beta run of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) sponsored BioenergizeME Virtual Science Fair—a high school competition that has students create and share infographics about bioenergy concepts. Student teams from five high schools in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Texas teamed up to create a total of 23 infographics. Utilizing resources and materials from the Energy Department and the Library of Congressas a guide, students researched bioenergy-focused topics that included history, laws, science and technology, careers, and environmental impacts. In December, they shared their infographics over Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and local media for a two-week social media campaign.\
Winners were as follows:

• First place for highest number of likes, shares, and page views—Aston, Pennsylvania’s Sun Valley High School, Science and Technology: Sustainable Transportation Fuels
• Second place for highest number of likes, shares, and page views—Birdsboro, Pennsylvania’s Daniel Boone Area High School, History of Biomass
• First place for the highest number of unique viewers reached—Belfry, Kentucky’s Belfry High School, Coal Can Be Green Too.

The Belfry High School team took the infographic research as an opportunity to brainstorm solutions to a real challenge with the coal industry in their region and contacted state officials. They were even featured on televised local media.
The social media response to the infographics varied, and many students said they were surprised by how much attention they received—garnering likes, comments, and shares from scientists, science enthusiasts and organizations, as well as friends, family, and classmates. Students were excited to be recognized as members of the bioenergy community, and they came away from the competition with greater exposure to the bioindustry overall. Many said that the most interesting thing they learned was that a certain amount of renewable fuel is required by law to be blended into gasoline in the United States (the Renewable Fuel Standard). Students also stated they were interested in the potential environmental benefits of bioenergy.
BETO staff were impressed with the hard work and research these students put into their infographics, and they are excited for what the next generation of the bioenergy workforce will bring to the industry. The results and feedback from this beta run of the competition will help BETO prepare for its next run of the competition in the spring. The purpose of the competition is to increase energy literacy and help students become more informed consumers of energy information.
See resources through the BioenergizeME Education and Workforce Development page, and contact BioenergizeME@ee.doe.gov if you are an educator interested in participating.  READ MORE