Research Interests:
Energy:
Current petroleum reserves have been calculated to last through the next hundred years and rising fuel expenses justify the need to evaluate or re-evaluate alternative energy technologies. A simple and ample fuel source is methane. Most recently, agri-business has succeeded in marketing methane produced from corn stalks and rice bran. While very "green" in their approach this technology lacks the infrastructure to support mega-scale production and transportation. An alternative methane source is methyl hydrates or methane gas trapped within ice crystals. This source of methane has been calculated to extend current fuel reserves until the next millennia and used on its own has been calculated to be sustainable for two millennia
The infrastructure for the use of methyl hydrates as a source for methane has already been established because most geological hydrate formations are found beneath the ocean's floor, where current petroleum drilling takes place. The main objection to harvesting methyl hydrates is the use of methanol, a toxic substance which is not reusable after consumption, to lower the freezing point of the carrier fluid. My research is targeted at the replacement of the toxic by-product of methyl hydrate collection, methanol.
Interestingly, there are biological organisms that live in ice are even with ice crystals within there circulatory system. Most of these organisms produce anti-freeze proteins that lower the freezing point of water enough to allow vivid survival of the organisms. I plan to utilize these anti-freeze proteins to poison the methyl hydrate crystal structure. This deterioration of the crystal lattice will release the methane into a pipeline for further refinement. What is of a great advantage to this type of system is that the proteins are re-useable, creating a much "greener" collection of an essential fuel source for the millennia to come.
Metabolites:
Metabolism changes occur in most of the population between the ages of 30 and 40. Studies show that this is due to the decrease in athletic activity that occurs when most people begin to work full time. Road cycling is an up and coming sport that athletes of all ages enjoy. Although there are many similarities between athletes young (18-20) and old (35+), for instance their desire for competition and training regimen, but as an athlete gains experience nature takes over. The evaluation of metabolites from both young and old athletes (in cycling) would lead to interesting differences between them.
Soil Chemistry/Conservation:
Nutrient containing soil is essential to all flora and fauna in local ecosystems. The maintenance of these nutrients consists of proper grazing of vegetation maintenance. A thorough description of the vegetation and game in the Texas Hill Country is described in Kerr Wildlife Management Area, A Historical Perspective. This description outlines the use of the axe, grazing, prescribed fires, and harvesting of surplus deer to manage the land. All four of the techniques are necessary to manage the native Texas land properly, but something that has not been explored is the physical and chemical nature of the soil. The physio-chemical understanding of Hill Country's soil would eventually provide an essential tool to assist land owners in increasing grazing potential, reduction of ashe juniper (cedar) populations, and provide a general ecological guide for the re-growth of native species of flora.