and then finding out if their concept will ing aimed at energy independence and sustainmake the grade and be commercial someday.” able natural resource utilization. Tiffany is not part of the U of M’s teachSharing Knowledge ing faculty, but rather its research faculty—an While Tiffany has, for over 25 years, important distinction—but opportunities been a university-employed production econ- to lecture and present, nonetheless, give him omist working outside of the biofuels sector joy. Many years ago, he had an opportunity to on the boundary of academia and industry, he speak to cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at appreciates the people he’s met and worked West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy at Anwith in ethanol. “I’ve really enjoyed visiting napolis. It was a genuine honor, he says. “They with the folks at the plants, going back to the were great listeners, and it was one of the hapdays when I would visit frequently with the people over at Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co. in Benson, Minnesota,” he says. “Kelly Davis, Andy Zurn, Bill Lee—they were all very patient helping me understand the ethanol process so I could do my work. Sometimes it was just a couple quick questions—maybe five minutes—but it meant a lot to me.” Tiffany says the things that impress him most about the ethanol industry, and pull him to it often, are “the great people” and “the pace of innovation.” He says that nowhere is that more noticeable than at the annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo. “Just amazing, the number of new things you would see for the first time at that show— whether it was corn oil extraction or corn fiber-to-ethanol technology,” he says. “Things have happened very fast in ethanol, and it’s been exciting to watch.” Like millions of Americans, Tiffany is currently working from home. “We all just need to stay safe right now, so we’re finding new ways to innovate, communicate and make things happen,” he says. “It can be a little isolating at times—not being able to bump into a colleague in the hallway and ask them a question—but that’s our reality for a while.” University employees aren’t traveling during the pandemic, but Tiffany says he is thankful for the many rewarding opportunities he has had over the years to travel internationally, present at conferences, participate on boards and testify in front of government . committees. For example, he has provided ex(8 8 8) 5 4 9 -1 8 6 9 pert testimony to Minnesota state legislative committees on first- and second-generation biofuels; and he served as a governor appointee on Minnesota's Nextgen Board, which HIBBING, MN | TRACY, MN | provided recommendations and grant fund-
piest days of my career. When I visited both academies, I went to their museums and saw lots of examples of how R&D investments and technology advances changed warfare. We are witness to similar dramatic transformations in agriculture and the processing of agricultural products.” Author: Tom Bryan Ethanol Producer Magazine 701.746.8385 tbryan@bbiinternational.com
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