Shelyn Gehle gives an overview of a project investigating the effect of fungal growth in switchgrass bales for ethanol production. Shelyn outlines the experiment methodology, including experiment setup, sample collection, and laboratory analysis. She also discusses the potential impact of this project on ethanol production, which could lead to lower switchgrass pretreatment costs and ultimately reduce the cost of ethanol at the pump. Shelyn Gehle is a Gates Millennium Scholar in OSU’s Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department under the guidance of Dr. Mark Wilkins.