Sustainable Utilization of Whey By-Product For the Production of Biobutanol; The Role of Carbon Offsets in Corporate Sustainability and Climate Accountability

My technical and STS projects both explore contemporary responses to climate change, but they do so from different angles, one through applied chemical engineering and the other through ethical analysis of corporate sustainability practices. At first glance, they seem distinct, as one aims to design a processing plant to convert yogurt industry waste into renewable energy and protein products, while the other investigates the ethics of corporate carbon offsetting through the lens of Actor-Network Theory. However, both projects are motivated by a core concern: how do we move from sustainability discourse to measurable impact? Whether evaluating the viability of biobutanol production from waste or the legitimacy of carbon credits used by Fortune 500 companies, my work reflects a broader interest in bridging the gap between environmental narratives and their real-world consequences. These projects share a commitment to understanding the material, social, and ethical infrastructure behind climate solutions, whether they are fermented in a bioreactor or laid out within a corporate ESG report.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Technical Advisor: Eric Anderson

STS Advisor: Erin Seabrook

Technical Team Members: Aidan Decker, Andrew Ludwikowski, Carson Min, Elizabeth Wu