Is PRCI doing more in terms of research with non-operators and with foreign companies?
Tenley: As an international organization we seek to participate with companies all over the world, with a primary goal to gain them as members. We do look for co-funding partners regardless of region in order to both expand project funding but also to bring to the table as diverse a set of perspectives and capabilities as possible to optimize the research effort. These two aspects may intersect as in the case of our strain-based design project in which Nippon Steel participated in the project first as a co-funder and then, once on the project, joined PRCI as a Technical Program Associate Member. We never seek co-funder participation solely for the funding; the co-funder must bring perspective and technical know-how to the effort. These two elements may come to the project via a large amount of “in-kind” funding involving equipment, system test beds, proprietary software, or technical expertise needed for the project. P&GJ: What progress is being made in the study of ethanol’s corrosive
