It’s a rare occurrence when the worlds of chemistry and ice cream collide. Two ISU alumni saw the strange concoction as an opportunity for success.

During Veishea in 1999, William Schroeder and his partner, T.J. Paskach, wanted to make a better booth for the Chemical Engineering Graduate Students Organization. Inspiration led to their business and a decidedly delectable patent.

Combining liquid nitrogen with the ice cream making process, the duo tested their experiment at Veishea for a few years. The method was one that had been known for years and used before, but Schroeder and Paskach created a machine that would showcase both their chemistry and ice cream.

It became known as Nitro Ice Cream.

Nitro Ice Cream shoots ice cream mix through a tube, combining it with nitrogen. The faster ice cream freezes, the smoother its texture and better its taste because of the tiny crystals that form as a result of the process. Nitro Ice Cream travels at speeds of up to 100 mph and freezes in about one second .

“He was the brains of the family – if I would’ve applied myself I could’ve done that too,” said Schroeder’s sister Michelle Donoho, teasing Schroeder about his success.

Donoho said Schroeder’s always had a knack for creative cooking, including his creation “wilfuls,” waffles with veggies mixed in the batter.

Nitro Ice Cream was promoted at both the Minnesota and the Iowa State Fairs. In 2002, it was voted the top new food at the Minnesota State Fair and received the Queen’s Choice award at the Iowa State Fair in 2004.

After its success at the Minnesota State Fair, franchise stores began in the Twin Cities under the name Blue Sky Creamery Ice Cream Cafe. There are five franchise stores, including one in Des Moines and another in Ankeny.

“It’s very good,” said Joni Cosner of Des Moines, who bought a cup during her visit to the Iowa State Fair. “I get it at Hy-Vee and the mall.”

The invention initially came out of an ISU lab funded directly from Schroeder’s and Paskach’s own pockets. Originally, they decided to apply for a patent because it would look good on a resume after receiving their Ph.D.s.

To them, having a patent was like having a paper or other research in print. It was also something to show off versatility and was a great opportunity to show how they spent their free time in graduate school, Schroeder said.

The two applied for a patent through Iowa State. Schroeder said it was simpler and much less expensive to apply for a patent with the university’s help than by themselves.

Since becoming a profitable business, Schroeder said the patent has actually become more expensive because of royalties that must now be paid to Iowa State for its use.

“It was more expensive in the long run, but we wouldn’t have done it at all if ISU wasn’t involved,” Schroeder said.

After the patent was approved, the Iowa State University Research Foundation

began marketing the new idea to ice cream manufacturers. The new technology was not well received by the giant corporations who already were established, so Paskach and Schroeder decided to market the project themselves.

In 2000, they contacted Rollie McCubbin, the concessions and exhibits director of the Iowa State Fair, who let them know of an opening in the technology building. That left the pair 45 days to create a machine that would make enough ice cream to serve hungry fairgoers.

“Our motto in those days was ‘There are two more days before tomorrow’,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder and Paskach still had a lot of work in front of them. The original machine they created took two Ph.D.s to run and broke down half the time. Currently, the machine can run all day – except when Schroeder or Paskach enlist the help of one of the their teenage employees to help them change the nitrogen tanks.

Schroeder said the hardest choice came for the two when they were interviewed for great jobs within the petroleum industry in selective oxidation catalysts and building block chemistry. After discussing their options, they decided to pursue their Nitro Ice Cream business.

“It’s not like we didn’t still have our Ph.D.s,” Schroeder said about the industry. “However, we are further away from that world- it would be harder to go back now.”