• BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) -- A South Dakota State University administrator has been appointed co-chair of a federal committee that promotes the research and development of energy from plant material.
• SDSU Vice President for Research Kevin Kephart has served on the Biomass Research and Development Initiative Technical Advisory Committee since 2011. Federal officials recently appointed Kephart to co-chair the panel with former Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrave.
• The initiative carries out research and development of biofuels and other products. Biomass is organic material from wood, grass, crop residues and algae. It is used to produce fuel and other products.
• The goal of the initiative is to develop technologies and processes to produce biofuels at prices competitive with fossil fuels.
• In addition to serving as vice president for research at SDSU, Kephart is a plant science professor.
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• VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) -- A delegation of a dozen business leaders from China is visiting the University of South Dakota to learn about investment opportunities in the United States.
• The four-day American Visiting Institute for Chinese Entrepreneurs sessions will include lectures, tours and demonstrations of South Dakota's economic capabilities. They run Sunday through Wednesday.
• USD Provost Chuck Staben will introduce Professor Bingquan Lu and speak about their friendship and building a "bridge" between South Dakota and China.
• South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, officials from the Governor's Office of Economic Development and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and executives from Valiant Vineyards, Sanford Health, Citibank and Raven Industries are also participating.
• Institute presenters include Fordham University Center for Entrepreneurship co-director Mitchell Fillet and Steve Kirby, a founding partner of Sioux Falls-based Bluestem Capital Co.

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