[THIS VIDEO IS SET OUTSIDE ON CAMPUS AT MSU, FROM ADAMS FIELD TO SPARTAN STADIUM. IT INCLUDES IMAGES OF INSTRUMENTS, MARCHING BAND MEMBERS, FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND AUTUMN CAMPUS PICTURES.]
(THE VIDEO OPENS WITH THE HOST JIM PECK OUTSIDE THE MSU'S UNION.)
JIM PECK: IT'S THE LAST GAME OF THE REGULAR SEASON FOR THE BAND -- TIME TO PLAY, TIME TO SAY GOODBYE.
[ MARCHING BAND PLAYS ]
RYAN KIERNICKI, SAXAPHONE: I'M A SENIOR THIS YEAR.IT'S MY FOURTH YEAR IN THE BAND. YEP, LAST YEAR.
BAND MEMBER: YEP, SENIOR-SECTION LEADER. I'M JUST FINISHING UP HERE WITH THE SPARTAN TUBAS. A HECK OF A THRILL RIDE -- IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BEST TIMES OF MY LIFE.
IAN MCNABB, DRUM MAJOR: THIS IS ACTUALLY MY LAST SEMESTER ON CAMPUS. I'M GRADUATING.I'M WALKING IN FALL.
[CHANTING] GO, STATE, GO!
MCNABB: IT'S KIND OF HARD. FIVE YEARS IN THE MARCHING BAND -- THAT'S A LONG TIME. IT'S HARD TO LEAVE IT BEHIND.
KELLY WAGNER, BAND ALUMNA: IT'S KIND OF A BITTERSWEET MOMENT. YOU KNOW IT'S YOUR LAST GAME, BUT YOU KNOW IT'S KIND OF YOUR TIME TO LEAVE.
[CHANTING] HEY! AHH!
WAGNER: A LOT OF EMOTIONS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND.
[CHANTING]
WAGNER: IT'S NICE TO KNOW IT'S ENDING, BUT YOU'RE SAD TO LEAVE.
I'LL PROBABLY HAVE A COUPLE TEARY MOMENTS, AS WELL.
[ “LAST REGULAR SEASON GAME” ]
MCNABB: TODAY WE'RE PLAYING PURDUE.
[ CHANTING ] GO, STATE BEAT PURDUE
BRANDON WILLIAMSON, TROMBONE: IT'S KIND OF A BIG GAME.
WE'RE HOPING TO BE 9-2 -- 9-2? 10 -- 9-2.
[ LAUGHS ]
MCNABB: WELL, THIS IS THE TROMBONE TAILGATE.
WAGNER: THEY PROVIDE BREAKFAST OR LUNCH FOR THEM. SO THEY HAVE MORNING PRACTICE. THEY COME HERE, GET A SNACK. THEN THEY GET READY FOR THE GAME.
MAN SPEAKING: NOTHING IS HAPPENING.THIS IS A REGULAR DAY. YEAH, EXACTLY!
[ CHANTING ] GO, STATE, GO!
THIS IS A NORMAL MICHIGAN STATE FOOTBALL GAME...
JOHN MADDEN, MSU SPARTAN MARCHING BAND DIRECTOR: WE DO NOT RESPOND TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS.
...ANOTHER WIN, AND EVERYTHING IS ABSOLUTELY NORMAL. PAY NO ATTENTION.
TUBA PLAYER: IT SHOULD BE VERY EXCITING.
“DOC”, TUBA: HE SEEMS PRETTY EXCITED, DOESN'T HE? IT DOESN'T FAZE HIM ANY -- HE'S TOO YOUNG.
[ LAUGHTER ]
CHANTING: GO, STATE, GO!
“DOC”: NOT YET. NOT YET. WE'LL SEE HOW THE NIGHT GOES.
TUBA PLAYER: 4:00 TONIGHT, 5:00 TONIGHT HE'LL BE EMOTIONAL. WE'LL ALL BE EMOTIONAL.
“DOC”: WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE GUYS, AND IT'S ONE LAST TIME TO HAVE SOME FUN.LAST GAME-DAY IN SPARTAN STADIUM.
[ BAND PLAYS ]
MADDEN: SPARTANS! MARCHING BAND! SPARTANS! MARCHING BAND! SPARTANS! MARCHING BAND!
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
BAND MEMBER: THIS SHOULD BE A FUN GAME, HOPEFULLY. HOPEFULLY, IT WON'T RAIN.
KIERNICKI: FOR BEING A SENIOR...I GUESS, REALLY THE NOSTALGIA OF THE "LAST GAME" STUFF THAT WE HAVE...YESTERDAY WAS THE LAST PRACTICE.
WILLIAMSON: IT'S KIND OF NICE NOT TO HAVE TO GO TO PRACTICE ANYMORE.
KIERNICKI: ...THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE, YOU KNOW...AND THE WAY THAT THE BAND ALWAYS HELPS YOU TO PUSH YOURSELF TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND IT REALLY HAS HELPED ME DO THAT IN MY LIFE, AS WELL.
WILLIAMSON: IT'S REALLY SAD HAVING THE PEOPLE LEAVE AND EVERYTHING.I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TEARS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, PROBABLY WILL BE TODAY AFTER THE GAME, BUT IT'S SAD AND IT'S HAPPY TO BE SEE PEOPLE MOVING ON.
KIERNICKI: FROM GOING FROM BEING A FRESHMAN AND HAVING NO IDEA AND SCARED AND COMING IN HERE, AND THEN BECOMING A SENIOR AND TEACHING SOMEBODY HOW TO DO EVERYTHING, IT REALLY IS GREAT.
“DOC”: THIS IS ADAMS FIELD. THAT'S SPARTAN STADIUM. THIS IS OUR CAMPUS. THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR THAT.
WILLIAMSON: THEN WE'LL MARCH TO THE STADIUM PREGAME. I THINK WE'RE HONORING THE SENIORS AND EVERYTHING TODAY. IT'S THE LAST DAY FOR THE SENIOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS.
ANNOUNCER AT FOOTBALL FIELD: NUMBER 21 -- OTIS WILEY! AND THEN IT'S THE GAME.
[ CHEERING ] LET'S GO, STATE! [ CHEERING ]
ANDY JAREMA, SENIOR: BITTERSWEET.I'M LIVING IT UP, TRYING TO LIVE IT UP AS MUCH AS I CAN, BUT IT'S SO BITTERSWEET 'CAUSE THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME. BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO ENJOY IT AND LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'LL BE THE LAST TIME.
[ CROWD CHEERS ] YOUR ALL-AMERICAN MARCHING BAND...
[ BAND PLAYS "FIGHT SONG" ]
BAND MEMBER: LIKE, THE FIRST WEEKEND. IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
ANNOUNCER: WE OPEN WITH BON JOVI.
MCNABB: LAST HALFTIME SHOW WITH...ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
BAND MEMBER: THIS IS THE GREATEST DRUM MAJOR THIS UNIVERSITY HAS EVER HAD AND WILL EVER HAVE.
WILLIAMSON: BUT IT'S KIND OF SAD ALSO BECAUSE, I MEAN, I WON'T BE SEEING AS MUCH OF EVERYBODY THAT I SEE EVERY SINGLE DAY, BUT, I MEAN, HOPEFULLY WE'LL STILL HANG OUT.
DOC: OH, MADDEN? EVERYONE LOVES HIM.
MADDEN: PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
DOC: THERE'S A PROFESSOR-RANKING SYSTEM ONLINE -- HE'S NUMBER ONE. IT'S HIS 20TH YEAR AS DIRECTOR HERE, AND HE'S DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS FOR THE BAND, SO WE'RE GONNA SET UP SOME STUFF FOR HIM -- A LITTLE THING ON THE FIELD AND THERE'S A LITTLE MOVIE FOR HIM AND THINGS LIKE THAT -- SOME NICE WORDS FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE HE'S WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS.
TOM IZZO ON JUMBOTRON: JOHN MADDEN, THERE'S NO QUESTION YOU ARE THE BEST BAND DIRECTOR IN THE ENTIRE NATION.
ANNOUNCER: ...IN COMMEMORATION OF HIS 20TH SEASON AS DIRECTOR OF THE SPARTAN MARCHING BAND.
BAND MEMBER: I MEAN, HE'S A REALLY CALM GUY. HE'S REALLY HUMBLE, SO HE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT EMBARRASSED BY IT, I FEEL LIKE.
DOC: HE'S DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS FOR MSU AND FOR THE MARCHING BAND.
MADDEN: THAT WAS A BIG SURPRISE. THAT WAS LIKE...YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED WITH THOSE GUYS A LONG TIME, SO VERY NICE OF THEM.
[ DRUMBEATS ] [ CHEERING ]
JEFF DOPPKE, SENIOR: THEY HAVE STRONG TRADITIONS WITHIN THE BAND THAT WE FOLLOW, AND IT'S JUST A GREAT TIME.
KIERNICKI: AT THE END OF THE GAME, WE MARCH BACK TO ADAMS.
MCNABB: WHEN WE MARCH BACK FROM THE STADIUM, WE'LL MARCH AROUND THE SPARTY STATUE. THAT'S A LONG-STANDING TRADITION THAT GOES BACK A LONG TIME. AND THEN THE SENIORS WILL GET ROSES -- THE SYMBOL OF THE CONFERENCE -- AND WE DROP THEM INTO THE RED CEDAR RIVER AS WE CROSS THE BRIDGE BACK UP TO ADAMS FIELD.
DOC: TRADITION WITHIN THE MARCHING BAND IS TO THROW A ROSE AND OUR MOUTHPIECE IN THE RIVER, INTO THE RED CEDAR.
KIERNICKI: ALL THE SENIORS THROW A ROSE OFF THE BRIDGE IN MEMORY OF OUR LEAVING THE BAND, AND THEN WE FINALLY GET TO SING THE SECOND VERSE, WHICH IS THE ONLY TIME WE'LL BE ABLE TO SING IT.
MCNABB: WE SING THE ALMA MATER AT ADAMS FIELD.
[ SINGING ] ...FLUSHING DEEP AND SOFTLY PALING...
MCNABB: THEN THE SENIORS SING THE SECOND VERSE OF THE ALMA MATER ALONE.
[ SINGING ] TWILIGHT AND SHADOWS FADE
MCNABB: THE FIRST VERSE IS ABOUT HOW BEAUTIFUL OUR CAMPUS IS, HOW MUCH WE LOVE IT, AND THE SECOND VERSE IS ABOUT LEAVING IT BEHIND, LIKE WE'RE GOING TO DO. I'M TEARING UP JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.
MADDEN: FOLKS, CAN YOU CONGRATULATE THESE GUYS?
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
MCNABB: IT'S HARD TO LEAVE BEHIND THE CAMPUS, HARD TO LEAVE BEHIND ALL THIS ATMOSPHERE, BUT I THINK I'M READY TO MOVE ON, READY TO BECOME A REAL PERSON, GET A REAL JOB.
DOPPKE: YEAH. YEAH. I'M WITH HIM. AND, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'VE ENJOYED MY FOUR YEARS HERE. ALL FOUR YEARS IN THIS STADIUM HAS BEEN GREAT. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A BOWL TRIP LAST YEAR. WE'LL HAVE ONE THIS YEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD. I'VE ENJOYED MY FOUR YEARS, AND I'M READY TO MOVE ON. IT'S BEEN A GOOD TIME.
WILLIAMSON: THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE WERE HOPING THAT WE COULD GO TO A BOWL GAME, STILL WAITING FOR THE SIXTH WIN, SEVENTH WIN, AND EVERYTHING TO GUARANTEE IT, BUT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING SOMEPLACE THIS YEAR. NOW WE'RE JUST SITTING BACK, WAITING TO SEE WHERE WE GO.
MCNABB: BOWL GAMES IS NOT A LUXURY WE'VE HAD A LOT THE LAST FEW YEARS, SO LAST YEAR WAS A LOT OF FUN, AND WE'RE HOPING FOR A BETTER TRIP THIS YEAR.
WILLIAMSON: SO IT'S A FREE TRIP.[ LAUGHS ] WE'RE GOING SOMEPLACE WARM HOPEFULLY. WE GET TO GO DOWN THERE, SUPPORT THE TEAM. IT'S AN AWESOME TIME.
MCNABB: I'D JUST LOVE ONE MORE CHANCE TO SEE ANOTHER GAME AND ANOTHER CHANCE TO TRAVEL WITH ALL MY FRIENDS.
KIERNICKI: IT REALLY IS GREAT. THE FRIENDS THAT I'VE MADE IN BAND I'LL HAVE FOREVER.
[CHANTING] FIGHT! FIGHT! GO, TEAM, FIGHT! [ BAND PLAYS "FIGHT SONG " ]
[END]
[THIS VIDEO IS SET IN A LAB AT MSU. IT INCLUDES CLOSE-UP IMAGES OF BEES AND INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN THE LABS.]
(THE VIDEO OPENS WITH THE NARRATOR JIM PECK OUTSIDE ON MSU’S CAMPUS.)
PECK: A LOT OF THE FOOD WE EAT WOULD DISAPPEAR IF NOT FOR BEES.
THE PROBLEM IS, BEES SEEM TO BE DISAPPEARING.
IF YOU LIKE TO EAT -- AND WHO DOESN'T LIKE TO EAT? -- THANK A BEE.
BEES HELP KEEP OUR CROPS ALIVE BY MOVING POLLEN FROM ONE FLOWER TO ANOTHER SO PLANTS CAN PRODUCE THE FOOD WE EAT.
IF YOU ADD IT UP -- AND BEE EXPERTS LIKE MSU'S DOUG LANDIS AND RUFUS ISAACS HAVE ADDED IT UP -- WE HAVE TO THANK BEES FOR ABOUT A THIRD OF THE FOOD WE EAT.
BUT, LATELY, THERE'S A KIND OF A "BUZZ" OVER THE FACT THAT HONEYBEES ARE DISAPPEARING.
RUFUS ISAACS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE: AND WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT WINTERS MAYBE 20% TO 30% REDUCTION OF THE NATIONAL NUMBER OF HONEYBEE COLONIES.
SO THAT GETS PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT "HOW WILL WE POLLINATE THE CROPS?"
PECK: HONEYBEES ARE ACTUALLY NOT NATIVE TO THE U.S. THEY WERE BROUGHT IN FROM EUROPE TO HELP PLANTS GROW BETTER. THERE ARE LOTS OF NATIVE BEES, AS WELL.
AND WHILE THEIR NUMBERS HAVE BEEN DECLINING A BIT, THEY'RE IN RELATIVE ABUNDANCE.
RESEARCHERS HERE AT MSU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LURE MORE OF THOSE NATIVE BEES TO FARMS.
ISAACS: SO THAT WE CAN MAKE FARMLAND MORE SUITABLE FOR THEM, PROVIDE GROWERS AND FARMERS WITH ADVICE ON WHAT THEY COULD DO TO THEIR FARMS TO MAKE THEM MORE SUITABLE FOR BEES.
AND BY DOING THAT, WE HOPE THAT THE FARMERS ARE, IN THE LONG TERM, STILL ABLE TO POLLINATE THEIR CROPS EVEN IF THERE'S A DECLINE IN HONEYBEES, OR SOME OF THESE OTHER POTENTIAL PROBLEMS CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.
PECK: ISAACS AND LANDIS AND OTHER ENTOMOLOGISTS AT MSU HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE BEE SHORTAGES FOR YEARS, BUT TALK ABOUT THE EFFECT ON FOOD SUPPLY IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN SHOWING UP IN THE NEWS, SO GREATER ATTENTION IS BEING PAID TO BEES.
THERE ARE ALSO GLOBAL COMPONENTS TO BEE DECLINE -- SOMETHING RESEARCH IN THESE LABS IS DIGGING INTO.
ISAACS: THERE'S A RECENT STUDY THAT'S SHOWN THERE'S MORE AND MORE CROPS BEING PLANTED THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON POLLINATORS, SO MORE FRUITS AND MORE VEGETABLES BEING PLANTED.
ESPECIALLY AS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES GET SOME MORE MONEY AND MOVE UP THEIR DEVELOPMENT SEQUENCE, THEY ARE GETTING MORE PLANTINGS OF NUTS AND FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
COFFEE IS EVEN POLLINATED BY BEES, AS WELL, AND SO THESE CROPS ARE HIGHER-VALUE, THEY CAN GET MORE RETURN FOR IT, BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE BEES THERE TO POLLINATE IT TO GET THAT VALUE.
THERE'S GONNA BE MORE AND MORE NEED FOR BEES TO POLLINATE THESE CROPS, SO WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT BEES BEING MAYBE UNDER THREAT, THAT DEFINITELY GETS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.
PECK: MSU IS TAKING A LEAD IN THE RESEARCH OF POLLINATORS. THIS IS A STATE WITH A RICH HERITAGE OF AGRICULTURE. MSU HAS DEEP ROOTS IN AG, AS WELL, AND BEES ARE INTIMATELY CONNECTED TO THOSE CROPS, SO IT ONLY MAKES SENSE.
ISAACS: WELL, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG ENTOMOLOGY DEPARTMENT -- I'M A LITTLE BIASED.
BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF ENTOMOLOGISTS HERE, AND MANY OF US WORK WITH SPECIFIC COMMODITY GROUPS, SECTORS OF OUR AGRICULTURE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT MICHIGAN FRUIT CROPS, MOST OF WHICH ARE DEPENDENT ON POLLINATION, THAT'S ABOUT $300 MILLION TO THE STATE'S ECONOMY EVERY YEAR THAT'S DEPENDENT ON THESE BEES AND ABOUT THE SAME VALUE FOR THE VEGETABLE CROPS.
SO YOU PUT THOSE TOGETHER, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT'S A LARGE PART OF OUR ECONOMY IN THIS STATE THAT'S DEPENDENT ON POLLINATION, AND SO WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO MAKE SURE WE CAN KEEP THAT GOING.
WE ALSO HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT LABS IN OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WORK ON POLLINATION, HONEYBEES, SOMEWHAT ON THE ISSUES OF BIOFUELS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS WITH POLLINATORS, SO WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS AND POSTDOCS THAT ARE ALL WORKING ON THESE RELATED ISSUES TOGETHER.
PECK: THE FOCUS ON BIOFUEL ALSO MEANS A CONNECTION TO THE LAND, THE PLANTS, AND -- YOU GUESSED IT -- BEES.
SOME OF THE CROPS USED TO MAKE BIOFUEL ALSO JUST HAPPEN TO ATTRACT BEES, SO YOU PLANT THE CROPS FOR BIOFUEL, YOU GET THE BEES TO SHOW UP.
MORE BEES MEAN BETTER FOOD CROPS, AS WELL.
WIN, WIN, WIN.
DOUG LANDIS, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE PROFESSOR: MICHIGAN STATE'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.
IT PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M PART OF THE GREAT LAKES BIOENERGY RESEARCH CENTER.
THIS IS ONE OF THREE DEPARTMENT-OF-ENERGY-FUNDED RESEARCH CENTERS TO REALLY JUMP-START CELLULOSIC ETHANOL AS A BIOFUEL.
AND THAT PROVIDES A GREAT PLATFORM FOR DOING A LOT OF WORK, SO ONE OF OUR INTERESTS IS -- AND I LEAD A GROUP LOOKING AT -- WHAT ARE THE BIODIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS OF GROWING BIOFUELS IN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES? IF WE CHOOSE TO REPLACE AS MUCH AS 30% OF OUR LIQUID-FUEL NEEDS WITH BIOFUELS, WHICH IS THE STATED TARGET OF THE UNITED STATES, THAT MEANS WE'RE GONNA BE GROWING BIOFUEL CROPS ON A LOT OF AREA OF THE LANDSCAPE, AND THOSE CROPS WILL CHANGE LANDSCAPE STRUCTURE, AND THEY MIGHT DO THAT IN POSITIVE WAYS, OR THEY MIGHT DO THAT IN NEGATIVE WAYS.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR WIN-WIN SCENARIOS WHERE WE CAN GROW A VIABLE BIOFUEL CROP FOR MICHIGAN AND MAYBE OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT REALLY ADDS TO THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES THAT WE ALSO NEED TO OBTAIN FROM THESE LANDSCAPES.
PECK: AND THOSE SORTS OF CROPS AND EFFORTS ATTRACT BEES AND BRING SOME OTHER ADDED BENEFITS.
LANDIS: THROUGH THIS PROJECT WE'VE BEEN COMPARING CORN, WHICH IS THE CURRENT BIOFUEL CROP, TO SWITCHGRASS, WHICH IS A NATIVE PLANT.
AND THEN WE'VE BEEN COMPARING BOTH OF THOSE TO MIXED PRAIRIE, WHICH IS A HABITAT WHICH WOULD HAVE PREDOMINATED THROUGHOUT MUCH OF SOUTHERN MICHIGAN.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BIODIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS OF THAT FOR PLANTS, FOR INSECTS, POLLINATING AND PREDATORY INSECTS, FOR MICROBES, IN TERMS OF THOSE THAT ARE HELPFUL IN REGULATING GREENHOUSE-GAS PRODUCTION.
PECK: THE MORE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CROPS YOU HAVE, THE HEALTHIER THE LANDS, AND THAT MEANS MORE ABUNDANT WILDLIFE.
LANDIS: IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN GROW BIOFUELS IN THE SOUTHERN MICHIGAN LANDSCAPE THAT BENEFITS BIRDS-OF-CONSERVATION CONCERN, POLLINATING INSECTS, PREDATORY INSECTS THAT COULD YIELD SERVICES TO OTHER PARTS OF THE FARM LANDSCAPE, AND MAYBE PROVIDE RESTORATION OF ECOSYSTEMS THAT HAVE LARGELY BEEN LOST FROM THE LANDSCAPE? SO, IT LOOKS TO US LIKE WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD POSSIBILITY FOR A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
ISSACS: SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE PUT OUT THROUGH THE WEB, THROUGH MSU'S WEBSITE.
I'M GETTING A LOT OF ATTRACTION FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, TO COME DOWN TO MSU AND SEE WHAT HAVE WE DONE AND CAN THEY ADAPT THAT IDEA TO THEIR REGION OF THE COUNTRY.
SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE EVEN GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD.
LANDIS: IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE AT MSU, AND IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS WORK.
WE'RE REALLY, I THINK, COMING TO GRIPS WITH HOW WE LIVE ON THIS EARTH IN A SUSTAINABLE FASHION, AND THERE'S A LOT OF ASPECTS TO THAT, BUT IT'S FUN TO BE INVOLVED IN A SMALL PART OF IT.
[END]
[THIS VIDEO IS SET IN A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LAB AT MSU. IT INCLUDES CLOSE-UP IMAGES OF AND WORK ON THE OPTICAL DIESEL ENGINE.]
(THE VIDEO OPENS WITH THE NARRATOR JIM PECK OUTSIDE THE MSU'S MAIN LIBRARY.)
PECK: SOMEDAY YOUR CAR COULD RUN ON BIOFUEL MADE FROM PLANTS.
MSU ENGINEERS ARE TRYING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. MECHANICAL ENGINEERS AT MSU ARE HARD AT WORK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAYS TO USE BIOFUELS, SPECIFICALLY, BIODIESEL FUELS IN ENGINES.
CODY SQUIBB, MSU GRADUATE STUDENT: IT IS AN OPTICAL DIESEL, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WINDOW INSIDE THE PISTON THAT ALLOWS US TO SEE INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER.
WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THE SPRAY MIXING AND THE COMBUSTION QUALITY.
THIS RELATES BACK TO THE BIODIESELS BECAUSE WE CAN SEE HOW THESE DIFFER, MAYBE WHERE SOME BENEFITS ARE COMPARED TO REGULAR DIESEL FUEL.
PECK: THIS OPTICAL DIESEL ENGINE WAS DEVELOPED HERE WITH SUPPORT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY IN ANN ARBOR.
THESE MSU MECHANICAL ENGINEERS ARE ALSO FUNDED THROUGH MAJOR SUPPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THESE NEW PLANT-BASED FUELS SO THEY WILL PRODUCE LOW LEVELS OF EMISSIONS WITH GOOD EFFICIENCY.
THEY WORK ON THE USER END OF THE PROCESS AND WORK TOGETHER WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AT MSU, WHO ARE HANDLING THE PRODUCER END.
SQUIBB: WHEN THE FUEL IS INJECTED INTO THE CYLINDER, WE CAN SEE HOW THE FUEL MIXES AND WE CAN ALSO SEE THE COMBUSTION INSIDE.
HAROLD SCHOCK, PROFESSOR, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING: THERE ARE TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH IN THIS AREA.
THIS WOULD PROVIDE JOBS FOR PEOPLE ALL OVER MICHIGAN AND THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF LARGE-SCALE USE OF THESE BIOFUELS.
PECK: IT LOOKED A LITTLE LIKE THE STANDARD GAS ENGINES WE ARE ALL USED TO WERE IN PERIL AS GAS PRICES SOARED AND THE ECONOMY DOVE.
BUT THE IDEA OF USING BIOFUELS HAS BLOWN SOME NEW LIFE INTO THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AND RESEARCH.
SCHOCK: THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE 450 MILLION ARABLE ACRES OF LAND IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT THAT ONLY REPRESENTS ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE LAND IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THERE IS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OTHER LANDMASS THAT WOULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BIOFUELS THAT THEN WOULDN’T INTERRUPT WITH THE FOOD SUPPLY.
SO THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS: TO SEE WHAT KINDS OF NEW BIOFUELS CAN BE DEVELOPED THAT CAN BE GROWN ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE BEST FARMLAND.
PECK: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IS SOMETIMES THOUGHT OF AS AN AG SCHOOL, AND TODAY THE IDEA OF AG IS ABOUT AS CUTTING EDGE AS IT GETS.
THESE DAYS, AG MEANS NEW SOURCES OF ENERGY, CREATIVE WAYS TO FEED THE WORLD, SUSTAINABILITY, AND EVERYTHING GREEN—NOT JUST SPARTAN GREEN.
SCHOCK: WE ARE IDEALLY SITUATED AS AN AG SCHOOL WITH A HIGH-QUALITY BIOLOGIST AND PLANT GENETICIST TO DETERMINE WHAT THE EFFECTIVE PATHWAYS ARE FOR DEVELOPING BIOFUELS.
AND THEN WITH THE APPROPRIATE INPUT FROM CHEMICAL ENGINEERS THAT ACTUALLY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REFINING THIS FUEL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING COMBUSTION SYSTEMS THAT USE THE FUEL, WE ARE IDEALLY SUITED TO BE THE ONES THAT DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF BIOFUELS.
PECK: AND HE SAYS IF YOU THINK THE IDEA OF ENGINEERS WORKING WITH AN AG SCHOOL AND WITH FARMERS IS STRANGE, YOU ARE SO WRONG.
SCHOCK: ACTUALLY, FARMERS ALMOST BY DEFAULT HAVE TO BE ENGINEERS.
THEIR NEED THAT IS REQUIRED TO REPAIR THINGS AND UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS WORK AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, SO A FARMER IS A FARMER ENGINEER REALLY.
PECK: SO IF YOU ARE READY TO WRITE OFF THE IMPORTANCE OF FARMERS, YOU WOULD BE WRONG.
AND IF YOU ARE THINKING THAT WE MIGHT NOT NEED SO MANY SO-CALLED GEARHEADS, WELL YOU MIGHT WANT TO RETHINK THAT, TOO.
SQUIBB: THE BEAUTY OF MY JOB IS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GEARHEAD, AND I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO TURN MY GEARHEAD INTO A DECENT JOB.
SO I GET TO WORK WITH BOTH ENDS.
I ACTUALLY GET TO TURN WRENCHES, AND I ACTUALLY GET TO SEE THINGS THAT NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HAVE SEEN.
SCHOCK: WE HAVE FABULOUS GRADUATE STUDENTS HERE, AS YOU SAW WITH CODY SQUIBB. THEY GET INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT, AND IT IS NOT VERY LONG BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY ARE HAVING THE MAIN RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCTING THE DAILY WORK ON THE PROJECT.
BY THE TIME THEY FINISH WITH THEIR MASTER’S OR PHD ACTIVITY, THEY ARE ABLE TO CARRY OUT THIS KIND OF RESEARCH ON THEIR OWN.
PECK: A NEW GENERATION OF FUELS, A NEW GENERATION OF ENGINEERS, EVEN A NEW GENERATION FOR AN OLD AG SCHOOL.
SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD, DOESN’T IT?
[END]
[THIS VIDEO IS SET IN AN ENGINNERING LAB AT MSU. IT INCLUDES IMAGES THE WINBONI ROBOT CLEANING WINDOWS AND STUDENTS WORKING ON THE ROBOT.]
(THE VIDEO OPENS WITH THE NARRATOR JIM PECK OUTSIDE ON MSU’S CAMPUS.)
PECK: DO YOU DO WINDOWS? OUR SHELLEY CHILLERS FOUND OUT THAT, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, THERE'S A LITTLE GIZMO INVENTED RIGHT HERE THAT MAY HELP TAKE SOME OF THE "PAINS" OUT OF YOUR CHORES.
SHELLEY CHILLERS: IT'S CALLED THE WINBONI.
[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]
EMILY DUSZYNSKI, MSU ENGINEERING STUDENT: I THINK WE WERE ACTUALLY IN THIS LAB ONE NIGHT, AND WE'RE LIKE, "OH, THIS IS TOTALLY LIKE A ZAMBONI FOR A WINDOW
CHILLERS: TOTALLY LIKE A ZAMBONI BUT DEVELOPED BY A TEAM OF MSU ENGINEERING STUDENTS, THIS LITTLE ROBOT JUST WON A BIG-TIME AWARD.
DUSZYNSKI: THE POINT OF THE PROJECT WAS TO DESIGN A ROBOT THAT COULD CLEAN WINDOWS FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT HAVE A DISABILITY AND COULDN'T REACH ABOVE THE BOTTOM PART OF A WINDOW.
CHILLERS: WINBONI CLEANS SO WELL, IN FACT, THAT IT JUST WON FIRST PLACE AT A NATIONAL COMPETITION.
JONATHAN LUCKHARD, MSU ENGINEERING STUDENT: ONE OF THE FUN THINGS THAT WE LIKED ABOUT IT IS THAT IT WAS KIND OF AN OPEN-ENDED PROJECT.
THEY SAID, “YOU HAVE TO CLEAN A WINDOW.”
YOU CAN'T TOUCH ANYTHING BUT THE GLASS. GO TO IT
CHILLERS: WITHOUT USING ANY WATER, THE BATTERY-POWERED ROBOT USES FELT TO CLEAN.
DUSZYNSKI: SO THE FELT THAT'S AROUND THE BOTTOM EDGE -- THE FORCE FROM THE SUCTION AGAINST THE WINDOW ALLOWS THE FELT TO CLEAN THE DOTS OFF THE WINDOW.
CHILLERS: SUCTION POWER THAT'S TAKEN FROM THE GUTS OF A DIRT DEVIL VACUUM.
DID YOU GUYS HAVE TO BUY AN ENTIRE DIRT DEVIL AND TAKE IT APART TO GET THE VACUUM? MANY.
DUSZYNSKI: JUST A COUPLE.
CHILLERS: AND HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO BUILD THE ENTIRE THING?
DUSZYNSKI: WE HAD ONE SEMESTER TO GO FROM AN IDEA TO A FULL-WORKING PROTOTYPE.
CHILLERS: BUT YOU WON'T FIND WINBONI ON STORE SHELVES ANYTIME SOON.
FOR NOW, WINBONI IS RESTING ITS BATTERIES NEXT TO ITS TROPHY, RETIRED FROM COMPETITION.
[BAND SINGING]
WHEN FROM THY SCENES WE WANDER...
PECK: WE LEAVE YOU WITH THE SECOND VERSE OF THE ALMA MATER, SUNG ONLY BY THE SENIORS OF THE SPARTAN MARCHING BAND AND THEY SAY FAREWELL.
...OUR MEMORY STILL WILL LINGER WHERE LIGHT AND SHADOWS PLAYED IN THE EVENING OFT WE'LL GATHER TO PLEDGE OUR FAITH ANEW SING OUR LOVE FOR ALMA MATER AND THY PRAISES MSU-U-U-U-U
[MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE. TRANSFORMING LIVES.]
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