Randy Vander Wal, professor of energy and mineral engineering and materials science and engineering, and Chung-Hsuan Huang, a doctoral student in energy and mineral engineering, were part of the NASA Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment Team who recently received their second NASA Group Achievement Award for "outstanding achievement in establishing the impact of hydro-treated renewable jet fuels on commercial aircraft engine performance and pollutant emissions." Tasked with testing whether a biofuel made from chicken fat can be used as a viable jet fuel alternative, the team used a NASA DC-8 to conduct several studies with the biofuel, regular jet fuel, and a 50-50 blend of biofuel and jet fuel. The successful measurement of the biofuel's effects on aircraft performance and gaseous and particulate emissions will assist both the U.S. military and the commercial airline industry in its assessment of alternative fuels for aviation use.