2011 – 2016 Past Intern Projects
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2016
Anoka-Hennepin School District, Fridley, Tanner Glaza
Goal: Water conservation opportunities for irrigation systems and improved soil conditions and turf grass health.
Cemstone, Mendota Heights, Brent Vizanko
Goal: Reduce fresh water from product production and truck washout and identify improvements to water reuse systems.
Center for Energy and Environment (CEE), Minneapolis, Tiger Rost
Goal: Conduct energy audits at small industrial facilities to identify energy savings opportunities in compressed air systems, process energy, lighting, and HVAC.
City of St. Peter Wastewater Treatment Facility, St. Peter, Merry Tesfu
Goal: Energy savings through improved blower-generated dissolved oxygen and control in the treatment stage.
City of Woodbury, Woodbury, Nathan Landwehr
Goal: Water reduction in residential landscape and turf irrigation.
Ecolibrium3, Duluth, Hanne Guthrie
Goal: Benchmark data and conduct energy, water, and waste audits at small businesses in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
G&K Services, Minnetonka, Katherine Venne
Goal: Solid waste reduction and reducing VOC concentrations in wastewater.
HCMC, Minneapolis, Rachel Kosse
Goal: Water reduction opportunities in system distribution, washing and sterilizing processes, and building process uses.
IBM, Rochester, Danny Sales
Goal: Energy efficiency for on-site cooling coils and air handling units and optimal steam and chilled water conditions.
Lorentz Meats, Cannon Falls, Nicholas Drews
Goal: Reduce energy use in the refrigeration system and other process energy uses, as well as water and chemicals used for multiple cleaning and sanitation operations.
Nordic Ware, St. Louis Park, Roopesh Pushpala
Goal: Improve paint transfer efficiency, conserve energy, increase production throughput, and improve automation.
R&D Systems, Minneapolis, Omar Hammami
Goal: Reduce water use in the DI water system and single-pass water cooled freeze dryers and reduce on-site energy consumption.
TEL FSI, INC., Chaska, Alex Mantos
Goal: Identify water conservation and reuse opportunities and ways to increase materials recycling.
Xcel Energy Riverside and Black Dog Plants, Twin Cities, Christine Lucky
Goal: Evaluate the potential for water use reduction or reuse in multiple processes at each plant.
2011 – 2015
Antea Group, Shoreview, Ross Wise
Goal: Conduct benchmarking study of Minnesota craft breweries and complete road-mapping assessments and reports at select sites.
Caterpillar Paving Products, Brooklyn Park, William Bowman
Goal: Compressed air opportunities to improve energy efficiency.
City of Woodbury, Woodbury, Benjamin Heinle
Goal: Water conservation for commercial irrigation systems.
Davisco Foods, Le Sueur, Stephen Raab
Goal: reduce water usage, wastewater loading, and energy in the cheese production process.
ECO Finishing, Fridley, Jerico Sanchez Hulstrand
Goal: Waste process optimization in the electroplating process
Firmenich, New Ulm, Sushruth Venkatesh
Goal: Increase efficiency and conserve energy in the spray drying process
Kemps Ice Cream, Rochester, Anne Hunter
Goal: Reduce product and raw material loading in the receiving and mixing areas of the ice cream production process.
Lloyd’s BBQ, Mendota Heights, Ayotunde Olatunbosun
Goal: Water conservation, waste reduction, and energy efficiency opportunities in the meat packaging process.
Lou-Rich, Albert Lea, Carter Tollefson
Goal: Improve process efficiency and reduce energy consumption in the freezer line production process.
Park Nicollet Health Services, Twin Cities, Hannah Brady
Goal: Source reduction, waste diversion, and staff education opportunities at clinics.
Sanimax, South Saint Paul, Joseph Carlson
Goal: Reduce water usage, wastewater loading, and energy for four process streams of the by-product reclamation process.
Southwest Regional Solid Waste Commission, Cottonwood, Jackson and Nobles Counties, Nathan Landwehr
Goal: Source reduction and waste diversion opportunities for businesses in Southwest Minnesota.
Xcel Energy Riverside Plant, Minneapolis, Mitchell Cleveland
Goal: Opportunities to conserve and reuse water
ECO Finishing, Fridley, Erik Anderson
Goal: Researching water conservation opportunities in the electroplating process.
GE Water & Process Technologies, Minnetonka, Nikola Trukov
Goal: Researching water reduction opportunities in the production and testing of filter products as well as the use of non-contact cooling water and electrical energy.
Gerdau, St. Paul, Daniel Sundberg
Goal: Investigating heating and reheating processes to find energy efficiencies in steel production.
Kerry Ingredients, Rochester, Simone Richardson
Goal: Investigating methods to reduce wastewater loading and well water usage in food processing.
Kraft Foods, Albany, Boyang Li
Goal: Developing techniques to conserve energy in the cheese drying process.
MGK, Chaska, Neil Peterson
Goal: Researching opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce chemical waste.
MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency), St. Paul, Li Guan
Goal: Reducing solid and organic waste at state agencies.
City of St. Cloud, Emily Campion
Goal: Reducing electric energy consumption of aeration blowers.
TEL FSI, INC, Chaska, David Binstock
Goal: Researching multiple water conservation and reuse opportunities and electric energy efficiency improvements.
Uponor, Apple Valley, Christopher Lanari
Goal: Researching material and energy efficiency for a new extrusion process.
Uponor, Apple Valley, Calen Papke
Goal: Researching and developing new methods to improve yield and reduce process waste.
City of Hutchinson Wastewater Treatment Facility, Hutchinson (Spring intern), Yulin Yee
Goal: Researching and evaluating process modification options for denitrification and energy conservation.
Consolidated Precision Products, Bloomington, Anshul Gupta
Goal: Researching energy efficiency and water conservation improvement opportunities in the aluminum casting processes.
CSM Bakery Products, Eagan, Zachary Metz
Goal: Researching opportunities to reduce energy use, conserve water, and improve process efficiencies.
Federal Cartridge, Anoka, Kaylea Brase
Goal: Researching multiple water conservation and recycling oppotunities including single pass cooling applications and other metal-forming manufacturing steps that incoporate washing and rinsing.
Gedney Foods, Chaska, Ryan Venteicher
Goal: Reducing water use and wastewater created during product processing as well as improving efficiencies, reducing salt use, and reducing chloride content in the wastewater.
Northern Star/Michael Foods, Chaska, Alex Hoppes
Goal: Researching possible well water reduction and reuse opportunities in the potato scrubbing process and other plant operations.
Schwing America, White Bear Lake, Paul Senne
Goal: Researching opportunities to reduce energy use and increase efficiency through the lean manufacturing process.
St. Croix Forge, Forest Lake, Amanda Spencer
Goal: Evaluate hydrolic cooling, air compressor, and press lubrication systems identifying ways to cost effectively reduce process energy and material use.
St. Luke’s Hospital, Duluth, Ben Wagener
Goal: Researching opportunities to reduce the hospital’s electric energy consumption and costs.
ST Specialty Foods, Brooklyn Park, Rahul Dhuria
Goal: Continuous improvement in a growing pasta packaging company
Tennant Company, Minneapolis, Jaclyn Thomes
Goal: Developing an inventory of all waste streams targeting source reduction and diversion initiatives as well as analyzing water consumption in the reverse osmosis system.
3M, Hutchinson, Olivia Zigler
Goal: Identifying solution for reducing electrical consumption related to the operation of industrial motors.
Ceramic Industrial Coatings, Osseo, Ian Huxford
Goal: Identify solutions to reduce solvent use and waste created during the manufacturing and clean-up processes.
G & K Services, St. Cloud, Leigh Severson
Goal: Determine solutions to reduce water consumption through improved wastewater treatment and reuse.
GE Water and Process Technologies, Minnetonka, Brandon Vogt
Goal: Reduce water consumption related to the production and testing of filter products as well as the use of non-contact cooling water.
Graco, Minneapolis, Brian Joe
Goal: Research the current paint line wash chemistry and making recommendations to implement changes to reduce gas, electric, and water use.
Land O’Lakes, Arden Hills, Jessica Primozich & Matt Domski
Goal: Research and evaluate options for managing organic waste and then develop a model that other facilities can use. Sponsored by Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Board
Northern Iron and Machine, St. Paul, Eric Sterna
Goal: Validate energy and environmental savings of a three-furnace cooling system and investigate heat recovery modifications on heat treat ovens.
Seneca Foods, Rochester, Emily Hutson
Goal: Reduce energy use by identifying opportunities to improve steam system efficiencies.
Various Restaurants, Ramsey & Washington Counties, Jessica Primozich & Matt Domski
Goal: Evaluate restaurants in three geographic locations to identify opportunities for managing organic waste and to create a model for other restaurants. Sponsored by Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Board
August Schell Brewing Company, New Ulm
Goal: Recover waste heat from the brewing and pasteurizing processes and reduce wastewater strength charges.
City of Rogers Wastewater Treatment Plant, Rogers
Goal: Identify energy efficiency opportunities in the wastewater treatment plant.
Ecolab Inc., Eagan
Goal: Reduce energy use in the steam and compressed air systems.
Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, St. Paul
Goal: Determine energy efficiency opportunities within a variety of processes at the wastewater treatment facility.
Radisson Hotel, Bloomington
Goal: Evaluate hotel and water park energy use and develop an environmental reduction plan.
Salo Manufacturing, Menahga
Goal: Validate the performance of a low-styrene, soy-based, or no-styrene resin and gel-coats.
Truck Bodies Equipment International, Lake Crystal
Goal: Reduce energy use in painting, curing, ventilation, and dust collecting processes, as well as in compressed air systems.
Uponor Inc., Apple Valley
Goal: Reduce energy use in manufacturing processes and facility.