Professor, students present research in D.C.

Professor James Hewlett and three students presented their work in front of a large group of researchers, U.S. Department of Defense representatives, and employees of Lockheed Martin.

Finger Lakes Community College faculty and students were at the Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center outside Washington D.C. on Feb. 6 to present research on cultivating mushroom fibers for their nutritional content.

FLCC Professor James Hewlett of Webster oversees the multi-year project, which began in 2021 as a collaboration with a local company and has since grown to include the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University.

Hewlett and three students presented their work in front of a large group of researchers, U.S. Department of Defense representatives, and employees of Lockheed Martin.

Student presenters were Paul Kuehnert of Shortsville, a dual biotechnology and horticulture major; Asa McKaig of Canandaigua, a horticulture major; and Matthew Brooks, a 2021 graduate.

The project involves developing a fermentation system for producing mushroom mycelium, the fibers that extend below the caps, and the nutritional compounds they generate.

“Mushroom mycelium is a nutrient-dense food with great potential for developing products that are highly nutritious and affordable,” Hewlett explained.

The project began in 2021 with Empire Medicinals in Henrietta and National Science Foundation funding. Last year, FLCC received a $100,000 Department of Defense grant to continue the work as part of BioMADE BUILD, a national academic challenge for college teams and industry mentors. FLCC was among eight institutions awarded funding and the only project with a community college as the lead agency. Of the eight, five schools, including FLCC, were chosen to advance to the next round of funding.

“Presenting our project was both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking. That said, I’m extremely proud of how we handled it,” McKaig said. “It was also fascinating to see how other groups approached their scenarios, and I really appreciated the chance to connect with them. The experience reinforced just how important collaboration and innovation are in this field, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this research takes us next.”

From left, Christopher Carter, co-founder of Empire Medicinals; FLCC graduate Matthew Brooks; students Asa McKaig and Paul Kuehnert; Valerie Dent, SUNY interim vice chancellor for community colleges; FLCC Professor James Hewlett, and FLCC President Robert Nye at the Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center in Arlington, Va. Hewlett and his students were selected by a U.S. Department of Defense program to present research on cultivating mushroom fibers for their nutritional content.

The goal with NCERC is to find a cheap and widely available food source for the mushroom mycelium to convert into nutrients for humans. Ethanol production yields a waste product that could serve as a source.

In November 2024, Hewlett, FLCC technical specialist Jessica Halliley, and students McKaig, Brooks, and biotechnology major Tully Jewett of Bolton Landing visited NCERC’s facilities in Edwardsville, Ind., and met with in-house experts and visiting research fellows.

FLCC students had the chance to observe demonstrations in the fermentation lab and attend presentations about the corn-to-ethanol process, research equipment, and lab practices. FLCC faculty discussed the potential for additional collaborations to foster student engagement in biotechnology and provide opportunities for applied learning.

The next steps involve experimenting with other industrial and agricultural waste streams as nutrient sources and scaling up to commercial production in partnership with NCERC.

The presenters were accompanied by FLCC President Robert Nye; Valerie Dent, interim vice chancellor for community colleges at the State University of New York; and Christopher Carter, co-founder of Empire Medicinals.

Hewlett, founder of the Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative (CCURI), was named a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor in 2021. The honor recognized work he began in 2006 to promote the use of research to teach scientific concepts at FLCC and community colleges across the county.

“We are proud of the excellent work that Professor Hewlett has done to give FLCC students opportunities to do meaningful research,” said Nye. “It was phenomenal to see our Finger Lakes region students presenting to researchers and government leaders in the nation’s capital.”

For information about FLCC science and technology degree programs, visit FLCC.edu.