8:10AM MTSU Director of Forensics and Blue Raider Debate Team Coach Dr. Pat Rickey tells about the "Irish Debate Tour" at MTSU on April 1, 2015. Student Haley Lawson shares her excitement of the upcoming competition.

8:25AM MTSU Interim Director of Undergraduate Recruitment Wendi Pelfrey tells about the "Paint The Colleges True Blue Tour" that begins tomorrow (March 17, 2015) and crosses the state through mid-April.

8:40AM MTSU Alternative fuels researcher and professor Dr. Cliff Ricketts from the School of Agriscience and Agribusiness shares stories of the 1,850 trip from Key West, Florida to Seattle, Washington using chicken fat and used vegetable oil for fuel.

When asked if green algae was his next challenge, Dr. Ricketts surprised us by saying, "No--it will be burning wood."

He explained, "I attended several green algae seminars and folks have received numerous green algae grants, so much that this stuff has become so precious that its value has gone through the roof. It's no longer economically feasible."

So he's going to burn wood as a transportation fuel.

Ricketts noted, "It'll be around here, not a cross country trip. Wood is logical for short distances."

(above) Dr. Cliff Ricketts tells WGNS' listeners about his "Southern Fried Fuel" adventure.