, a FSRC PhD Fellow, recently earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering at ̽̽ working on research that might change the way farms process their agricultural waste.
Working at the with her advisor Dr. Matthew Scarborough, her research focused on the biological production of valuable . The biological process that produces these compounds is called “chain elongation” and is an anaerobic process where microorganisms transform the available organic matter from the wastes. It is similar to conventional anaerobic digestion, but methane production is inhibited through bioreactor controls, such as operating at low pH and short hydraulic residence times. Due to this, substrates are available for chain-elongating microorganisms to produce medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCA), platform chemicals with many industrial and agricultural uses.
Yiota is now a postdoctoral researcher at the working on biological processes for wastewater treatment.
FSRC PhD Fellows engage in meaningful research across a broad spectrum of Vermont and global food systems. Their transdisciplinary studies represent the diversity of food systems, addressing aspects ranging from agricultural practices to human nutrition to the management of food waste.
About the FSRC:
The ̽̽ Food Systems Research Center (FSRC) is the first USDA-funded research center to study the interconnectedness of all parts of a regional food system, from farm practices to food access. They work to uncover solutions to pressing issues through the lens of food and farming. As pioneers in USDA-funded research, the FSRC is at the forefront of discovering how what’s on our plate affects our society and the planet.
