Connections
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment | College of Engineering Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Vol. 5, Fall 2015
Inside...
Butterfly gardens Richard Warner, Doug Overhults look back Undergraduate research New freshman common core Jian Shi joins BAE faculty Research updates: Jian Shi, Akinbode Adedji, Mike Sama, Joe Dvorak Larry Turner’s vision for Campus Kitchen Student & Alumni Spotlight Recognitions, Grants, Awards, Publications Did you know? Last Glance: Rick Bennett joins CAFE
Remembering Larry Turner By Karin Pekarchik “Larry Turner was a great friend and an excellent engineer who sincerely cared about this department, the college, and the University. Larry was a farmer for four years producing food that we now share through the kitchen,” said Extension Professor Richard Warner. “I didn’t know that he had the idea for Campus Kitchen at UK, but I’m not at all surprised that he was the impetus for such a important project.” “The February before Larry died, he and I were at a meeting in Washington, DC, when he asked if I would be interested in visiting the DC Central Kitchen to learn more about the Campus Kitchen program (from founder Robert Continued on page 3 Egger). Robert started the Campus Kitchens project as a way to involve college students
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Welcome from the BAE Connections Editorial Committee Greetings Alumni and Friends, Autumn is such an exciting time of year. Warmer temperatures give way to cooler days and nights, harvests abound, and new students (and faculty) join BAE while seasoned ones return to the start of a new semester. In this newsletter, we focus on Larry Turner’s vision for Campus Kitchen, showcase our four newest faculty members, begin saying farewell to a few of our sage faculty, and highlight some of the many outstanding accomplishments of our undergraduate students. We also bring you news about BAE’s outreach efforts on-campus with the installation of butterfly gardens as well as those off-campus with the BAE Energy Audit Program. Come learn interesting facts about the BAE family in our “Did You Know” section, and help us celebrate each other’s accomplishments in our Grants and Awards and Recognition sections.
Photo: Matt Barton, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
As always, we hope you will find ways to become more involved with the department. If you are interested in helping with senior capstone projects, our class tours, providing internships, speaking to our ASABE student branch, helping with an Alpha Epsilon service project, or just stopping by for a visit, please let us know. We would love to hear from you! You can also stay connected to BAE by visiting us at www.uky.edu/bae and at our social media feeds (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube). If you have time on October 2nd, join us for lunch at the fall Alumni Advisory Board. Sincerely, Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E.
Butterfly Gardens By Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E. | Associate Professor A butterfly garden is a flowering garden designed to attract and support butterflies. Such gardens contain nectar plants which provide food for the butterflies and host plants on which butterflies lay their eggs. Not only are butterflies beautiful, but they are also pollinators. Pollinators such as butterflies are responsible for supporting 33 percent of the food we eat. This fall, the University of Kentucky welcomed to its campus Photo: Matt Barton, College of six new butterfly gardens totaling about 3,000 sq. ft. Under my guidance, Agriculture, Food and Environment Tyler Sanderson and BAE undergraduate students Coleman Stivers and Adam Garner designed the butterfly gardens, procured materials and supplies, and assisted with the construction process. As part of UK 100 Pathways and Barriers to Environmental Sustainability, students in Greenhouse, UK’s Environment and Sustainability Residential College, helped install the butterfly gardens. Thanks to efforts by Dr. Steve Higgins, funding for the butterfly gardens was provided in part by the United State Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service. The butterfly gardens are located in the interior courtyard at the C.E. Barnhart building, the Lextran bus stop at Agricultural Science Center North, southwestern end of the T.P. Cooper building, near the front entrance of the Kelley building, along the southeast end of the Slone Research building, and along the southeast side of Erikson Hall. Student organizations have already adopted the butterfly gardens and will assist with their upkeep. Alpha Epsilon adopted the butterfly garden at the C.E. Barnhart building. 2
New Common Freshman Year
In this issue... Cover, Page
By Czar Crofcehck, Ph.D., P.E. | Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies 3
Remembering Larry Turner
Welcome; Butterfly Gardens; Starting in the fall of 2016, freshmen starting in the College of Pages 2-3 New Common Freshman Engineering will not declare a major until after completing a Year common freshman year curriculum. For BAE, this means that Pages 4-5 Shi Joins BAE faculty; A BAE 102 and BAE 103 will no longer be offered, where the Look Back: Richard Warner; Doug Overhults replacement classes, ERG 101 and 103 will cover some of the same material, but will focus on aspects of engineering that are Pages 6-7 Faculty Research: Jian Shi, Bode Adedeji fundamental to all engineering disciplines. The students will Pages 8-9 Faculty Research: Mike also have an opportunity during EGR 101 to explore specific Sama, Joe Dvorak majors. The strategy will be to expose the freshman to more details about the various majors, so that they can make a well- Pages 10-11 Undergraduate Research: Tahnee Qualls, Andrew educated decision about their major, as a result increasing Giaretta; Remembering Joe retention and graduation rates. In addition, by having Ross; Did You Know?; B.S., classes for all engineering majors, the college will be able to M.S., and Ph.D. Graduates; help ensure that all of the students have access to hands-on Arrivals; Departures; New Positions engineering lab elements. The hands-on lab is located in one Pages 12-13 Rural Energy Audits; Student of the new state-of-the-art dormitories on campus, Woodland & Alumni Spotlight Glen III. In addition, the college will teach EGR 102, which Pages 14-15 Grants; Awards; Recogniwill essentially replace CS 221 (a first course in computer tions; Publications; Alumni programming). BAE is working closely with the college to Advisory Board Listing help make sure that potential BAE students are given the opportunity to hear about all the great opportunities in BAE. BAE Connections is published twice a year by
continued from cover in addressing hunger issues on their campus. Larry thought we should bring the program to UK. We had a wonderful visit and tour, leaving energized and interested in pursuing it at UK. Sadly his untimely death derailed those plans for many years,” Ann Vail, Director, School of Human Environmental Sciences, said. The Campus Kitchens Project uses on-campus kitchen space, surplus food from dining halls, and active and engaged students to repurpose food into healthy meals for people in the community. Over the years after Larry’s untimely death in a plane crash in 2006, Vail encouraged Tammy Stephenson to explore the opportunity. Larry’s idea has come to fruition, with the recent launch of Campus Kitchen at UK. “Larry Turner is still so fondly remembered beyond UK. He had faith—in students, farmers, Extension, the promise of Kentucky. The small ripples he started, like the idea for Campus Kitchen at UK, was a sign of his great leadership,” remembered Robert Egger. Both men had a long-standing interest in ameliorating food stability and got to know each other when Larry participated in a leadership program for people involved with food systems.
the University of Kentucky Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, an Equal Opportunity Organization. The newsletter is produced by BAE in partnership with Alpha Epsilon. ©2015. BAE Connections Editorial Committee Director: Sue Nokes, Ph.D., P.E. Advisor: Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E. Editor, Designer: Karin Pekarchik Alumni Advisor: Elizabeth Bullock, P.E. Contributors Bode Adedeji, Ph.D., P.E., Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E., Kirtley Amos, Czar Crofcheck, Ph.D., P.E., Joe Dvorak, Ph.D., P.E., Michael Hagan, Karin Pekarchik, Mike Sama, Ph.D., P.E., Jian Shi, Ph.D., P.E., Rachel Williams Photography: Steve Patton and Matt Barton from CAFE Agricultural Communications; BAE faculty/staff. Please submit story ideas, questions, or comments to carmen.agouridis@ uky.edu or karin.pekarchik@uky.edu.
“Larry is smiling wherever he is,” Egger said.he 3
Shi Joins BAE faculty By Karin Pekarchik | Extension Specialist for Distance Learning The Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering is pleased to welcome its newest faculty member, Assistant Professor Jian Shi, Ph.D. A native of China, Shi most recently worked in Virginia for Novozymes, a Denmark-based world leader in industrial biotechnology and in California with the Joint BioEnergy Institute ( JBEI). “We are excited about Dr. Shi joining our department. He brings a wealth of knowledge, along with his experience with the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville, California, and at Novozymes, the world leader in enzyme production. Dr. Shi is a great addition to our department, and we look forward to learning from him,” Department Chair Dr. Nokes said. The potential for high-quality collaborative work at the University of Kentucky Photo: Matt Barton, College of Agriculture, Food and was one aspect of the position that drew Shi to Lexington. He also pointed out Environment the department’s well-equipped microbiology and chemistry labs, where he will conduct his research; the Engineering Design Center, which offers engineering design and prototyping capabilities to faculty, staff, and students for research and teaching projects; and UK Cooperative Extension, as additional strengths. “There is great potential for collaborative research on biofuels and bioproducts. I am very impressed by the welcoming and community-oriented teaching and research atmosphere at UK,” Shi said soon after his arrival. Shi got his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering and worked in China for an IT company producing online educational sites after graduation. The momentum to address sustainability and environmental challenges prompted him to return to graduate school, and his master’s research in China focused on converting corn stover into biofuels. He continued biofuel research and completed his doctoral work in biological engineering with a minor in biotechnology at North Carolina State University. As a postdoctoral scholar, he worked for Sandia National Laboratories/Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville, Calif., which he describes as “a dream place” for biofuel researchers. The Joint BioEnergy Institute is one of three Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Centers aimed at developing breakthroughs in biofuels and bioproducts. Sandia Labs, UC Berkeley, and UC Davis are some of the center’s seven research partners. “As an engineer by training, with biological, chemical, and analytical expertise, my research aims at finding biological solutions to address the sustainability challenges in a chemical world. The research goal is to understand and develop new bioprocesses for biofuels and bioproducts by exploring the interfaces between chemistry, engineering and biology. Specific research areas include 1) biomass pretreatment, catalysis, fermentation and product recovery; 2) ionic liquid as solvent, reaction media, catalyst, and material to enable cost effective and efficient cellulose/lignin valorization and other bioprocessing applications; 3) municipal, food and agricultural waste treatment and conversion; 4) upgrading of lignocellulosic biomass for BioAg applications. I am also interested in using system biology tools to analyze food/bioprocessing systems,” Shi said. He will be part of the university-wide research efforts to develop biofuels, chemicals, and advanced materials to “Power the Kentucky Bioeconomy for a Sustainable Future” through a recent $24 million NSF KY EPSCoR funding. Read more at http://kynsfepscor.org/. Spurred on by the collaborative nature of his academic and industrial experiences, Dr. Shi has already begun recruiting for his laboratory, expressing excitement over the opportunity to train the next generation of engineers. He anticipates hiring two to three master’s students and one doctoral candidate to assist with his lignin/biofuels research. Shi will also teach undergraduate and graduate level courses related to biofuels, bioenergy, and industrial biotechnology. (Read more about Dr. Shi’s research on page 6.) 4
A Look Back: Richard Warner When did you start working at UK? October 1980. What were the major highlights of your career? Since I’ve always had a three-way appointment the answer needs to be multi-faceted. The opportunity to mentor students, who already have started with so much potential, and help them to creatively assess problems and trade-offs and then ultimately open up opportunities in the work force made this the best job ever. Extension does work through on-site demonstration combined with technology transfer, be they farms with irrigation or mines with innovative control technologies, all have provided increased profitability balanced with environmental protections. Applied research has encompassed many areas: 1) drip irrigation with control technologies to significantly reduce water use thereby reducing leaching of fertilizers and pesticides, 2) passive and active treatment systems for stormwater, sediment and metals controls applied to mines, landfills and other large-scale land disturbances and 3) mineland rehabilitation, especially working with fellow faculty to re-establish hardwood forest and natural streams. Perhaps the activity that had the most significant impact was the development of software that is now widely used throughout the U.S. and internationally for protection of the environment. What post-retirement are you taking? 80 percent for one year. What will you be doing/pursuing when you fully retire? Consulting for international mining companies, expand software development on stormwater and sediment control for land disturbance, teach technology transfer courses to engineering consultants and industry, start a bed and breakfast in St. Lucia and perhaps be brave enough to publish a book of poems. And especially, travel with Beth for fun. Do you have any advice to offer students, staff and/or faculty? It is important to pursue opportunities that you enjoy and then work diligently and you will succeed, but always strive to balance work with a large dose of family and friends.
A Look Back: Doug Overhults When did you start working at UK? November 1, 1972. I started in Lexington at the end of my M.S. program and moved to Princeton January 1, 1973. I left Princeton in May 1978 to do my Ph.D. work at the University of Nebraska and returned in May 1982. hat were the major highlights of your career? I don’t know how to answer this one! The best part of my career has been working with people all over Kentucky to help them find ways to improve their farm operations and the lives of their families. It is truly remarkable to see the amazing advances in livestock production systems and technology that have occurred since my career began. The small part I may have had in helping people implement those developments has been very rewarding. What post-retirement are you taking? I am currently on 80 percent post-retirement. Unless something significant changes, I will probably continue post-retirement at some level for another year or two. What will you be doing/pursuing when you fully retire? Lots of projects at home and getting a few more miles on my road bike – maybe some travel, too. Do you have any advice to offer students, staff and/or faculty? Don’t forget, even on the bad days, how blessed you are to be part of the UK BAE Department. 5
Jian Shi
Position: Assistant Professor Reseach focus: Bioprocessing Students: Enshi Liu (M.Sc.) and Areej Saeed (undergraduate intern) Teaches: BAE 504 Biofuels and Bioproducts
As the newest faculty member in BAE, my daily activities are to set up lab spaces, teach a senior/ graduate level class, seek internal and external collaborations, and write grant proposals. I am recruiting talented graduate students, undergraduate interns, and postdoctoral researchers to conduct research in my group to understand and develop new bioprocesses for biofuels and value-added products. My specific interests are in 1) biomass fractionation and biocatalysis to produce valuable products, 2) fermentation and product recovery using membrane based separation, 3) application of ionic liquid in bioprocessing and 4) waste-to-energy. I plan to integrate these research projects into my teaching and create opportunities for undergraduate/graduate students to practice their learned knowledge in real world applications. I believe that the students’ engagements in research projects will not only improve their hands-on skills but also help their future career development. While still actively seeking extramural grants to fund the lab, my students and I am initiating a few research projects on lignin valorization for fuels and chemicals through the startup supports from UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and Kentucky NSF EPSCoR. Biomass fractionation Graduate student Enshi Liu is developing conversion processes for effective cellulosic biomass fractionation and lignin extraction. Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer in nature. However, in current bio-refinery concept, lignin is commonly burned for generating steam and electricity. Converting lignin waste streams to high value-added chemicals will greatly enhance the economic viability and success of a biorefinery. Collaborating with plant scientists, Enshi will study the impact of lignin modification (transgenic plants) on lignin extraction and optimize a process for generating a range of low molecule weight phenolics highly amenable to catalytic conversion. 6
Biocatalysis and bioseparation With collaborators from the Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) and UK Chemical Engineering, we are investigating chemical and biological catalysis of lignin compounds to fuel and chemicals. Biocatalyst development via chemical modification and directed evolution can greatly improve the yield and selectivity on targeted products. Advanced membrane separation technologies will be integrated into a biorefinery concept to facilitate the separation of valuable products from reaction medium. Ionic liquid based bioprocessing Great opportunities have emerged for using ionic liquid (IL) as solvent, reaction media and catalyst to enable cost effective and efficient bioprocessing technologies for broad applications. We are investigating task-specific ILs for applications relevant to sustainable manufacturing, including: compounds extraction, odor removal, bioremediation, and cellulose and lignin derived biomaterials. Such biomaterials include nanocellulose for coating, adhesive, and filtration applications and functionalized thin film, granule and lignin carbon fiber for environmental/industrial biotechnology applications.
Bode Adedeji
Position: Assistant Professor Reseach focus: Food Process Engineering Recognition: Performed the Ring Ceremony at the 2015 ASABE meeting in New Orleans, and in Canada in 2014 Graduate students: Dr. Ahmed Rady (Post-doc), Manjot Singh (M.Sc.), Mengxing Li (Ph.D.), Francis Agbali (Ph.D.), Nader Ekramirad (Visiting Ph.D. student) Teaches: AEN 340 Principles of Food Engineering, BAE 450 Special Research; BAE 549 Bioprocess Engineering The last year was eventful for the Food Engineering group. I was busy during Fall 2014 teaching my first class but still had time to submit two proposals. So far, I have submitted nine proposals to various funding agencies such as UK Food Connection, KY Science and Engineering Foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, UK e-Learning Program, USDA-NIFA Foundational Program (FASE Equipment, Borlaug Fellow Program, and exploratory research grants), Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Four projects have been funded, four were not funded, and one is pending. I also began the acquisition of state-of-the artequipment (DSC and Rheometer) that will support my research and teaching efforts. Grain value-addition Currently we are focused on contributing solutions to the agricultural production and food processing sectors in Kentucky and nationally. My master’s student is working on a project exploring the extraction methods and characterization of functional properties of protein and starch from millet, an underutilized gluten-free grain. Our goal is to prove millet as a quality alternative to common grains like wheat and corn by demonstrating its matched functionality with them in various food and industrial applications. We intend to work with colleagues in plant science (Universities of Kentucky and Nebraska) to identify cultivars of common millet (proso) grown in the U.S. that will meet expected yield by farmers and, at the same, also meet food, feed, and fiber applications of similar grains. We intend to develop various novel products targeted toward special groups, such as people with celiac disease and weaned babies in developing countries who need complementary food, using processes like extrusion and baking, and test for nutrient bioavailability, digestibility, and sensory appeal of the product. In collaboration with Dr. Payne in Chemical Engineering, we also plan to use dynamic molecular modeling
to study changes to the macronutrient components (protein and starch) of millet at the molecular level by simulating different processing conditions (pH, high pressure, shear, etc.). This process will allow us to virtually make target changes to these constituents for functional property modification that can suit different food applications, and perhaps transfer this knowledge to other grains like wheat in an effort to help solve autoimmune reaction in celiac patients. Hyperspectral Imaging and Acoustic Sensing My post-doc Dr. Rady and I in collaboration with Dr. Xiong of Animal and Food Science are leading a first of its kind effort to develop a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensing system to non-invasively detect and quantify adulterants in processed meat. We just submitted an exploratory research grant to USDA-NIFA. In another project, visiting scholar Nader Ekramirad is working with Drs. Hicks and Bessin in AFS and Plant Science, respectively, to combine two non-destructive methods, namely HSI and an acoustic system based on a patent-pending system developed by Dr. Hicks’ research group, to detect insect infestation in apples during different stages of handling and storage. Looking Forward This year, I plan to continue to build on these research efforts, attract talented students and scientists, source for competitive research funding, and collaborate across board in order to contribute more to the food and agricultural production sectors in Kentucky, nationally and internationally. 7
Mike Sama
Position: Assistant Professor Reseach focus: Machine Systems Automation Engineering 2015 Awards: ASABE Superior Paper Award Graduate students: Aaron Turner, (Ph.D.); Ali Hamidisepehr, (Ph.D.); Katie Wolf, (M.S.). Teaches: BAE 400: Senior Seminar; BAE 599: Component Design; BAE 599: Control of Off-Road Vehicles; BAE 658: Instrumentation for Engineering Research Advises: Wildcat Pulling Team, Senior Design
My overarching goal as an assistant professor in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kentucky is to develop a multi-disciplinary research and instruction program in the area of sensors and controls for precision agriculture that is regionally and nationally recognized for innovation and productivity. The profound improvement in precision at which modern production agriculture can be conducted has provided new opportunities, as well as challenges, toward measuring the status of agricultural commodities and optimally controlling inputs. I have applied a systems approach to addressing these opportunities/challenges by investigating and demonstrating technologies that can increase profitability and advance environmental protection. My approach applies the scientific method to address the following: 1) how new sensor technology can be used for generating field data; 2) how sensors can be effectively deployed; 3) how field data can be processed to assist in developing feasible management strategies; and 4) how development of actuation and control technologies can take advantage of high-resolution management strategies. I will be focusing my efforts over the next several years on three distinct projects to address state, regional, national, and global challenges in agriculture. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Remote Sensing As a co-investigator on a recently funded $1.4M NSF sub-contract to study the use of UAS for atmospheric sciences, I will be designing and testing low-cost remote sensing tools for quantifying the spatial variability of moisture across agricultural landscapes. The basic process relies on multi-spectral sensing to detect the absorption or reflection of particular wavelengths of light that vary with soil and crop moisture. The important wavelengths will be identified using laboratory equipment and then incorporating them into a custom sensor package for deployment on a ground vehicle or UAS. The resulting system may have a substantial impact for irrigation management by 8
prescribing water use based upon relative need. It will also provide much needed data to help sort out one of the many contributing factors to varying crop yield. Agricultural Machinery Logistics BAE faculty members Mike Montross, Joe Dvorak, Sam McNeill and I received a $500,000 USDA AFRI award to study the use of data management and decision support systems for optimizing the equipment used for grain harvest, transport, and storage. Aaron Turner, an Engineer Associate and BAE M.S. graduate, will be focusing on this topic for his Ph.D. dissertation. Aaron will be combining machine data from the vehicle controller area network (CAN) on combines and tractors with fleet management data from on-road trucks and energy use from grain dryers to study how these systems could interact more efficiently. In-Situ Compost Management UK is a global leader in research on compost bedded pack barns. My recently graduated master’s student, John Evans, focused on assessing different tillage methods for mixing and aerating compost. Our next step will be addressing run-off and emissions from these systems. Thanks to a pair of $75,000 USDA-NRCS and $29,000 USDA Borlaug Fellowship, led by Joe Taraba, we will continue to have a strong engineering program in this area.
Joe Dvorak
Position: Assistant Professor Reseach focus: Machine Systems Automation Engineering Graduate students: Joey Jackson (M.S.), Joseph Rounsaville (Ph.D.), Hasan Seyyedhasani (Ph.D.) Teaches: BAE 305 DC Circuits and Microelectronics, BAE 515 Fluid Power Advises: BAE Student Branch My overarching research objective is to advance innovations in agricultural machinery through the application of automation, specifically improving its ability to adapt to inherent spatial and temporal field variability. I have performed investigations into the design of hybrid powertrains to better adapt to the time-varying nature of agricultural power loads, the automation requirements for fleet coordination necessary for agricultural operations performed with driverless vehicles, automation of sprayers to provide location-specific application of chemical agents, and mobile phone apps. Hybrid Powertrains and Autonomous Vehicles Advanced control systems enable the use of new powertrains such as petroleum-electric hybrids. In collaboration with industrial partners, Clark Material Handling (CMH,) Crown Industries, and Curtis Instruments, graduate student Joey Jackson, constructed and tested a series hybrid powertrain to determine the efficiencies of different components under varying load conditions. This powertrain was later used as the core of a small autonomous tractor. Another graduate student, Joseph Rounsaville, developed the electronics that enable the common, open source autopilots that power the UAS revolution to control this tractor. Testing is underway to determine its potential in diversified local organic production. Fleet Coordination With Ph.D. student Hasan Seyyedhasani I have been looking at how to divide paths among multiple vehicles in a field. Farmers could increase the number used if fleets of autonomous vehicles become a reality. In this work, we compared a more optimal path assignment among vehicles to dividing the field into work zone regions and assigning each vehicle a work zone. As the number of vehicles increased, the optimal method showed significant gains with completion times reduced by 10% with ten vehicles. In similar machine optimization research, I am working with Drs. Montross, Sama, and McNeill on a USDA
project to optimize the equipment usage in grain harvest. This project looks at the entire grain harvest process from the combine to the transport trucks to drying and final storage. Location Specific Spraying Chemical application needs vary spatially within a field, and meeting these spatial needs requires application control at the individual nozzle level, which is currently not available. With an undergraduate student, Luke Bryant, I developed a nozzle-level flow sensor based on optical cross-correlation, and this work was published in Transactions of the ASABE. With Dr. Tim Stombaugh on a Case-New Hollandfunded project we investigated other sensor technologies including a nozzle-level optical sensor that can accurately determine sprayer product concentration. Apps Location accuracy is an issue that often appears when attempting to use apps for agricultural production decision making. To investigate the accuracy and location characteristics, my graduate student, Hasan Sayyedhasani, ran tests to determine the location accuracy and error characteristics using several Android tablets. This research was recently highlighted in the popular farm magazine, Successful Farmer. This type of work generates considerable interest, and continuing professional development sessions at ASABE meetings have remained popular for four years now. 9
Undergraduate Research: Development of a Methodology to Determine Antibiotic Concentrations in Runoff Samples – Tahnee Qualls By Karin Pekarchik | Extension Specialist for Distance Learning Undergraduate student Tahnee Qualls received an Outstanding Poster Presentation award at the ASABE conference this year for “Development of a Methodology to Determine Antibiotic Concentrations in Runoff Samples.” The NRES Student Oral and Poster competition at this year’s ASABE Annual International Meeting in New Orleans saw a total of 114 student oral presentations in Natural Resources and Environ-
Arrivals
Anderson Ravanny de Andrade Gomes (Visiting Scholar) Ali Hamidisepehr Josh Jackson (Postdoctoral Scholar) Mengxing Li Enshi Liu Ruben Ruiz Gonzalez (Visiting Scholar) Jian Shi Megan Walz Katie Wolf
Did you know?
Departures
mental Systems (NRES) sponsored sessions, approximately 45% of all potential NRES oral presentations in non-invited NRES sessions. The poster presentations were highly competitive and prestigious, with only five percent recognized as outstanding. Continuing with research begun by Oklahoma State University doctoral candidate Holly Enlow when she was a BAE master’s student, Qualls experimented with different ways to measure antibiotics in swine manure.
BAE remembers former Department Chair Dr. Ira Joe Ross Dr. Ira “Joe” Ross, 82, husband of Sue Ross, passed away Saturday, August 22, 2015. Dr. Ross was a professor at the University of Kentucky for over 30 years and retired in 1994 as the Department Chairman of Agriculture Engineering. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Robin (Kirk) Grigsby, Louisville, Julie Ross, Versailles and Karyn (Brad) Combs, Lexington; his sister, Frances Owens, Lexington; and his grandchildren, Patrick, Benjamin and Kathryn Grigsby, Zachary, Sam and Laurel Kemper, Alex, Caroline and Lucas Combs. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Bluegrass.
Whitney Blackburn-Lynch Matthew Burnette John Evans Joey Jackson Kylie Schmidt Evan Simon Yongbo Wan Caoli Zheng
New Positions Beverly Miller
M.S.
Joey Jackson
Ph.D.
Whitney Blackburn-Lynch Josh Jackson
Mike Montross’ herd of cattle has increased from zero to 15. Mark Purschwitz and his wife, Sue, are part owners of the Green Bay Packers. Josh Jackson bought a house before his wife saw it (mitigating factor: it adjoins his farm). Don Colliver had to hang up his whistle, flags, and cards as a high school soccer referee after referring 45 matches, one fall, and blowing out his knee. Doug Overhults’ great-great-grandfather may have been one of the first farmers to practice double cropping in Kentucky. The October 8, 1879, edition of The Hartford Herald published the following item: “Daniel Overhultz, who lives on Green river in this county, near Ceralvo, raised a crop of wheat and corn upon the same ground this year. The land was broken up and planted in corn immediately after the wheat was cut and now the corn is well matured. This, though quite common in some places, is a rarity in this region.” 10
Undergraduate Research: Optimizing Deep-fat-frying of Sweet Potato – A Study Conducted by Andrew Giaretta By Dr. Akinbode Adedeji | Assistant Professor This summer, Andrew Giaretta, an exchange undergraduate junior student from Brazil, worked in BAE’s Food Engineering lab under my supervision. The research project was funded by UK Food Connection Student Enhancement Grants Program. Andrew’s interest in this project stemmed from my Food Engineering class, which he took in Fall 2014. After the class, he asked if he could intern in my lab, and I agreed because Andrew was one of the best students in class. He first demonstrated this by agreeing to take the lead in writing a sixpage proposal, which was funded. I decided to have him work on a project to optimize the frying process for sweet potato. Fried foods are very palatable, however the concern about the high calorie content and associated health implications force some consumers to stay away. Our job as research engineer/scientists is to continue to find ways to reduce calories (mostly from absorbed oil during frying) without significantly impacting the quality attributes that make fried products unique. The frying process for sweet potato has not really been researched, hence our interest. Also, sweet potato is a very unique root crop grown in the U.S. and is used a lot for making fried products. For ten weeks Andrew worked in the lab to look for ways to optimize the frying conditions of sweet potato by modifying the surface of the
product prior to frying and by optimizing the frying process (frying temperature, pretreatment, variety, product dimension and freezing rate). Quality attributes of raw, parfried, and finished fried sweet potato such as fat and moisture content, texture, color, and porosity of fried samples were studied. At the end of ten weeks, and with the help of Dr. Rady (a post-doc in the Food Engineering group), Andrew presented the results he obtained in this study to our department on July 24, 2015.
Andrew showed from the results that a combination of frying conditions and sweet potato preprocessing treatments can lead to production of a low calorie and appealing fried sweet potato, which is even better than some commercial products. Andrew has returned to Brazil to complete his degree. He described this experience as one of the most productive of his education. He said he learned the importance of the application of engineering concepts in food processing, time management, how to think independently, how to solve day-to-day challenges encountered in research, how to design experiments, and how to use statistical software to analyze data. He improved his English writing skills, and he developed a stronger interest in food engineering. We hope Andrew will return one day for a graduate degree in our department. 11
Rural Energy Audits Michael Hagan | Engineer Associate Energy efficiency and renewable energy generation are in sharp focus in today’s world, with many global and national factors affecting our resources. This is changing the way we think about energy and the environment, and prompting change in the way of life for many communities across the state. Agriculture is not immune to the fluctuating cost of energy, but has remarkable opportunities to develop and implement efficient and renewable systems on the farm to meet today’s energy challenges. The BAE Energy Audit Program was developed to help address these energy concerns for farms and
rural small businesses across the state. Led by Drs. Doug Overhults, Sam McNeill, and Mike Montross, the program is primarily funded through the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). In addition to providing funding for the BAE Energy Audit Program, REAP also provides grants and guaranteed loans to producers to help offset the initial cost of implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The BAE Energy Audit Program started with a pilot program in 2008, during which time five poultry house audits were completed, followed quickly with more poultry house audits and the addition of several grain drying facilities in 2009. The program grew quickly in 2010 with additional REAP funding available to producers and cost share program from the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy (GOAP) to help producers offset the cost of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Both programs required that audits be conducted by a Professional Engineer or Certified Energy Manager. With the demand for audits growing, Michael Hagan was hired in 2011 to help carry the load. While poultry houses and grain drying facilities continued 12
to be the bulk of audit work, several dairy facilities, greenhouses, farm shops, irrigation pumping stations, farmers markets, and even a lighting upgrade at a car dealership have been assessed by the audit team. In the past several years, many solar photovoltaic generation audits have also been completed, totaling 62 to date. In all, the project team, now expanded to include doctoral candidate Aaron Turner, has completed 342 audits since 2008. The 342 audits correspond to $25.54 million in total project investments, with average savings or energy generated valued at $7,200 per facility and simple payback of 14 years. For the energy efficiency projects, average energy savings were 22.3%. Total energy saved or generated for all projects was 113,440 million BTU, averaging 332.7 million BTU per facility. The audits have made it possible for the recipients to apply for $6.59 million of cost share funding. As shown in the chart below, this program has helped rural Kentuckians meet their goals of reducing energy costs. As the world will continue to be challenged with energy resources, the BAE Energy Audit Program will continue to assist Kentuckians in making smart energy decisions.
Student & Alumni Spotlight By Alpha Epsilon members Rachel Williams and Kirtley Amos
Joe David Luck, Assistant Professor and Precision Agriculture Engineer, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Joe Luck was raised on a small family farm in western Kentucky and received both his M.S. (2007) and Ph.D. (2012) degrees while working in BAE. In April 2012, he began work at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. His job responsibilities include Extension, research, and teaching, primarily in the Agricultural Engineering and Mechanized Systems Management programs. While his tri-part appointment can be a challenge, he stays focused on the people around him to help provide direction. “Working with producers across Nebraska and students at the University is the best part of my job; you can get a lot of energy engaging others,” he said. His primary Extension efforts have been the development of the Nebraska Extension Precision Ag Data Management Workshops, which use hands-on methods to teach ag professionals to gain more knowledge from the data they collect. Attendance at these workshops has quickly exceeded 350 attendees in five different states representing over three million acres. Working on the family farm provided a great background in crop production, but Joe points to his time at BAE for helping provide more perspective on other aspects of agriculture. “I was able to get experience with Extension, research, and teaching while finishing my graduate studies in BAE; it proved to be an invaluable experience down the road!”
Will Arnold, BAE senior Will Arnold has been a part of the department as an undergraduate student for the past four years. He came to the department hoping his interests in biology and engineering would be combined into something productive and beneficial. With these interests, he was hired for an undergraduate research position within the department in May 2014. For the past year and a half Will has worked in BAE under the direction of Dr. Nokes. Initially, his efforts were focused in areas where Dr. Nokes’ team needed him; over this past summer he was able to narrow in on his own research project on the effects of β-glucosidase on the enzymatic saccharification process in the production of biofuels. Will’s interest in research eventually led him to a different department on campus, Biomedical Engineering. He is a Biosystems and Agricultural Engineer with a specialization in Biomedical. He started research with Dr. Shin in May of 2015 focusing on the effect that pressure has on capillary genesis within humans. Will plans to graduate in May 2016 and then pursue his master’s in Biomedical Engineering. 13
Grants Smith S.W., J.B. Hoagg, S.C Bailey, M.P. Sama, M.I Guzman. 2015. NSF RII Track-2 FEC: Unmanned Aircraft System for Atmospheric Physics. Oklahoma State University. $1,400,000 (Subcontract on $5,995,869 NSF Research Infrastructure Improvement grant). 2015-2019. Sama, M.P., M.D. Montross, J.S. Dvorak, S.G. McNeill, T.B. Mark. 2015. Development of a CANBased Data Management and Decision Support System for Optimal Equipment and Harvest Timing from Grain Harvest to Storage. USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. $500,000. 2016-2019. A. Adedeji. Extrusion Processing for Value-Added Production of Food and Feed. USDA-AFRI Foundational Program, FASE Equipment grant.$149,713. G. B. Day, T. D. Smith, L. G. Wells. Commercialization of the CP3S High Speed Market Preparation System for Burley Tobacco, Philip Morris International. $121,700. 2015. Ferh, Robert, Kentucky Energy Educaiton and Outreach Program. $100,000. 2015-16. Taraba, J.L., B. Lee, D. Edwards, M.P. Sama. 2015. Phosphorus Runoff Potential and Nitrogen Flux Emissions from Compost Generated in Compost Bedded Pack Barns. USDA-NRCS-KYSO Kentucky State CIG. $75,000. 2015-2018. Taraba, J.L, M.P. Sama. 2015. Proposal to Host Borlaug Fellow from Mexico on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ruminant Manure. USDA Borlaug Fellowship Program. $29,028. 2015. Robert Fehr, Radon Education Training. $12,720. 2015-16. Luck, J.D., M.P. Sama, J.M. McGrath, B.D. Luck, J.P. Fulton. 2015. Precision Agriculture Farm Management Software and Field Hardware Training for Kentucky Soybean, Corn, and Wheat Producers. KY Soybean Board. $5,000. 2015-2016. 14
Adedeji, A. Application of Hyperspectral Imaging System for Detection of Adulterants in Foods. Burroughs Wellcome Fund. $6,760. Taraba, J.L., M.P. Sama, J.M. Bewley. 2015. Computational Fluid Dynamics for Analysis of Compost Bedded Pack (CBP) Dairy Barns. KAES Research Activity Award. $5,000. January 2015 to June 2015. Adedeji, A. eLearning Innovation + Design Lab. University of Kentucky. $4,000. Pekarchik, K. eLearning Innovation + Design Lab. University of Kentucky. $4,000. Adedeji.A., Optimizing deep-fat frying of sweet potato – effect of pretreatment and freezing rate. University of Kentucky Food Connection Group. $3,995. Sama, M.P., C.A. Shearer, R.K. Caudill, S. Hubbard, J. Walker. 2015. Machine Systems Senior Design Project. Charles E. Barnhart Fund for Excellence. $1,000. July 2015 to June 2016.
Awards Samuel McNeill, lein Ileleji (Purdue), and George Opit (Oklahoma State), Extension personnel at three separate land-grant institutions, were honored with the ASABE Educational Aids Blue Ribbon Award for teaching materials they developed to improve food security and worker safety through optimal grain-handling and storage techniques. Karin Pekarchik was selected to participate in the 2015 Fulbright International Education Administrators Program in Germany. Undergraduate student Tahnee Qualls received an Outstanding Poster Presentation award at the ASABE conference this year for “Development of a Methodology to Determine Antibiotic Concentrations in Runoff Samples.” Mike Sama and Tim Stombaugh received a 2015 ASABE Superior Paper Award for “Performance Evaluation of a Tracking Total Station as a Position Reference for Dynamic GNSS Accuracy Testing.”Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Vol .30(4): 557-563.
Recognitions Doug Overhults, Retirement Richard Warner, Retirement
Publications Adedeji, A. A., Alakali, J., & Ngadi, M. O. (2014). Characterization of thermophysical properties of Afzelia (Afzelia africana) seed. American Journal of Nutrition and Food Science 1(3), 57- 63.
Stream Origins in the Appalachian Coalfields of Kentucky. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. Early View. doi: 10.1111/17521688.12350 (jif: 1.782) Williamson, T.J., C.T. Agouridis, C.D. Barton, J.A. Villines, and J.G. Lant. In Press. Delineating Ephemeral, Intermittent, and Perennial Streams in the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield Using a TOPMODEL Based Approach. Journal of the American Water Resources Association.
Agouridis, C.T. and T.M. Sanderson. Understanding Ecosystems and Their Services through Apollo 13 and Bottle Models. Ed. L.B. Byrne. In Learner-Centered Teaching Activities for Environmental and Sustainability Studies. Book chapter, In Press. Dvorak, Joseph S., Luke E. Bryant, An Optical Sprayer Nozzel Flow Rate Sensor, Transactions of the ASABE. 58(2): 251-259. (doi: 10.13031/ trans.58.10765). 2015.
Dates October 2, 2015
Luck, J.D., S.A. Shearer, M.P. Sama, S.K. Pitla. 2015. Control System Development and Response of an Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle for Agricultural Pesticide Application. Transactions of the ASABE. Vol 58(4): 997-1008.
Brittany Adam, Big Ass Solutions
Luck, J.D., S.K. Pitla, M.P. Sama, S.A. Shearer. 2015. Flow, Spray Pattern and Droplet Spectra Characteristics of an Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle. Transactions of the ASABE. Vol. 58(2): 261269.
Craig Duvall, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University
April 29, 2016 Laud Azu, Kellogg’s Eric Dawalt, Ridgwater LLC
Bradley Heil, Smith and Nephew
Sama, M.P., J.D. Luck, T.S. Stombaugh. 2015. Scalable Control Architecture for Variable-Rate Turn Compensation. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Vol. 31(3): 425-435
Tyler Holley, Medical Resident, University of Kentucky
Sena, K., C. Barton, S. Hall, P. Angel, C. Agouridis, and R. Warner. 2015. Influence of Spoil Type on Afforestation Success and Natural Vegetative Recolonization on a Surface Coal Mine in Eastern Kentucky, USA. Restoration Ecology 23(2): 131-138.
Maridely Loyselle, Division of Waste Management, Energy and Environment Cabinet, KY Department of Environmental Protection
Taber, C. Circulator Fan Performance Testing Standards: The Thrust of ANSI/AMCA Standard 230-15, ASHRAE Journal, vol. 57, no. 9, September 2015. Pages 28-39. Villines, J.A., C.T. Agouridis, R.C. Warner, and C.D. Barton. 2015. Using GIS to Delineate Headwater
Blair Lauer, Cummins Wanda Lawson, Stantec
Doug Mynear, ESCI, LLC Katherine Niebuhr, Altec Pamela Pabian, Coldstream Laboratories Allen Patton, Patton Farms LLC Sarah Short, Haskell Richard Shultz, Linkbelt 15
University of Kentucky Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering 128 C.E. Barnhart Building Lexington, KY 40546-0276 (859) 257-3000
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Welcome
Extension
Rick Bennett is the new director of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and associate dean for research at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
www.bae.uky.edu 16