A course on characterization and processing of heavy oils and petroleum heavy residua such as vacuum gas oils, vacuum distillation residua, asphalts, pitches, and decant-oils.
 

A team-taught course funded by NSF to investigate the relationships between energy use, global climate change, and biodiversity. Developed and taught the section the fundamentals of energy conversion with laboratories on "Energy Audit" and "Power Plant Simulation"  
 

The course is a survey, synthesis, and design course to introduce petroleum refining with a review of physical and chemical processes used to convert crude oil into desired products and discussion of changing crude oil base with environmental, technical, and economic constraints 

This is one of the two problem-based learning core courses in the graduate curriculum to facilitate active and collaborative learning in Fuel Science through solving practical problems, critical literature reviews, concept mapping and road mapping, laboratory work, and written and oral presentations of results.  

http://www.ems.psu.edu/~eser/FSC503   
 

A course for Fuel Science graduate students on basic principles of chemical engineering and physical chemistry as applied to Fuel Science problems.

A multidisciplinary course to introduce and discuss current technical and social issues related to energy resources, energy conversion and use, conversion efficiency, and energy policy in a science/technology/ society context with respect to environmental impact, human values, economics, and future prospects of sustainability 

http://www.ems.psu.edu/~eser/STS420   
 

Developed a Mat Sc 101 home page on the Internet with links to important energy sites to identify sources of information.  Homework assignments were designed to encourage students to use Internet sources.  

Set up a Classnews discussion group to promote communication and discussion among the students outside the classroom.  
 

Students use a spreadsheet program (Microsoft Excel) and a modeling program (Stella) to carry out material and energy balances on home heating, driving, and on the operation of West Campus Steam Plant (e.g., on heat generation, CO₂ and SO₂ emission, and ash production).  

A personal energy audit is carried out by each student, using a spreadsheet program with built-in conversion factors to allow entry of personal energy consumption data (collected by the student) in readily available units (e.g., miles driven, cubic feet of natural gas, gallons of fuel oil, tons of coal, etc.).  The audit results are expressed in energy units (Btu) and pounds of CO₂ for each person.