The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has awarded the 2011 Mines Medal to Dr. Lee Rybeck Lynd, co-founder of biofuels start-up Mascoma Corp. and professor of engineering at Dartmouth College. Lynd will receive the Mines Medal, a national award honoring engineers and scientists who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation, at the third annual Mines Medal Dinner and Award Ceremony to be held September 29 at the Rushmore Civic Center Plaza in Rapid City.

Lynd’s distinctively broad contributions span science, technology, entrepreneurial and policy domains, and include leading research on fundamental and biotechnological aspects of microbial cellulose utilization. He has been instrumental in developing a breakthrough cost-effective processing method called consolidated bioprocessing or CBP for the production of ethanol and other transportation fuels from inedible cellulosic biomass, such as switchgrass, a plant native to South Dakota’s prairies. ...