The University of MinnesotaâÄôs Institute on the Environment and the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment are hosting a seminar Monday focusing on ethanol production in the United States and sugarcane production in Brazil as a part of a series on renewable energy topics. âÄúThis one is a little more unique because the perspective is a bit more international, where we tend to focus more on Minnesota and Midwest topics generally,âÄù Todd Reubold, Institute on the Environment spokesman, said . Helena Chum, a research fellow in the Renewable Fuels and Vehicle Systems Directorate at the U.S. Department of Energy , will speak about advanced biofuels and efforts between the United States and Brazil to collaborate, according to a release. The second speaker, Joaquim Seabra, a post-doctorate researcher in biorefinery analysis at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory , will speak on Brazilian sugarcane ethanol. The collaboration Chum is working on is a comparison between the United StatesâÄô corn ethanol industry and BrazilâÄôs sugarcane industry, according to the release. âÄúWeâÄôre not going to grow sugarcane here in Minnesota anytime soon,âÄù Reubold said, âÄúbut itâÄôs a good opportunity to learn about what works in Brazil versus what works in America and shared technologies back and forth.âÄù The seminar is free and open to the public. Reubold said he expects around 75 attendees. The seminar is at 3:30 p.m. in room 105 of the Cargill Building in St. Paul.