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Biological Systems Engineering Research

Lav Khot and CAHNRS highlighted during NIFA’s National Washington Day – May 10,2023

Stewart Bohnet

USDA | NIFA May 11, 2023

photo of Lav Khot To celebrate National Washington Day on May 10, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is highlighting the innovative NIFA-funded research conducted by Lav Khot, CAHNRS and Washington State University (WSU).

NIFA’s support allows CAHNRS to bring new ideas to light that improve our food supply, protect our environment and natural resources, and keep Washington agriculture competitive. More than 73% of CAHNRS extramural funding is from federal sources, the most important of which is USDA-NIFA. This support enables an incredible range of practical discovery and education.

Lav Khot, as WSU’s AgWeatherNet director, is in charge of the network’s nearly 400 solar-powered weather stations located across Washington state. This helps Northwest agricultural producers to navigate complex and uncertain climate and economic environments.

NIFA underwrites work by WSU economists serving farmers and ranchers through the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center, which helps producers manage the evolving risks, such as drought, market, wildfire, regulatory and labor challenges, that they face across the diverse western region.

For more information on NIFA’s State of Success, National Washington Day, please visit the USDA / NIFA website.

Birgitte Ahring receives Anjan Bose Outstanding Researcher Award

Stewart Bohnet

May 2, 2023 |WSU Insider

Dr. Ahring with studentBirgitte Ahring receives the Voiland College of Engineering’s Anjan Bose Outstanding Researcher Award.

Ahring, professor in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering and with the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory at the WSU Tri-Cities campus, is a prolific researcher and a global leader in biomass conversion research for producing biofuels and high-value bioproducts.

With WSU since 2008, she has published more than 500 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Overall, she has been cited 33,702 times in her career and has an h-index of 93. Her research is mission-driven and is focused on solving bottlenecks for bringing new and better technologies for biofuels and bio-products to the market, including pathways to produce sustainable biofuels in the aviation industry from lignin, fungi, and other forms of biomass.

She has been recognized around the world for her breakthroughs, including recently being named “Washingtonian of the Day” by Governor Jay Inslee.

WSU Insider

Jonathan Male appointed as new head of Office for National Laboratory Partnerships

Stewart Bohnet

Mar 8, 2023 | WSU Insider


Photo of Jonathan MaleWashington State University’s Office of Research has appointed Jonathan Male as the assistant vice chancellor for research and director of the systemwide Office for National Laboratory Partnerships. He assumed the new role on Feb. 27.

Male will develop and support systemwide programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories, other federally funded research and development centers, and similar major national and international research centers, publicly or privately funded. He will also oversee the development of strategic partnership areas between Washington State University and the partnering institution, including energy innovation, national security, and earth and biological systems.

To continue reading this article go to: WSU Insider, Mar 8, 2023.

Shulin Chen named National Academy of Inventors senior member

Stewart Bohnet

February, 2023 | WSU Insider

Photo of Shulin ChenBiological Systems Engineering professor Shulin Chen has been honored as a  senior member of the National Academy of Inventors. He will be inducted formally at the Academy’s annual meeting in June in Washington, D.C.

Chen has produced biochemicals from organic waste using microbial “cell factories,” yeasts that synthesize target biochemicals using metabolic pathways. His team also developed a method for extracting high-value products from potato peels, a waste by-product of potato processing. His method turns phytochemical and nutrient-rich waste into a revenue stream. Chen holds ten U.S. patents for his innovations.

Chen’s research focuses on making industrial processes more sustainable. His projects include development of bioconversion processes and systems for the production of biofuel, bioenergy, and bioproducts. Using anaerobic digestion systems, his research team has invented a process to convert manure and other dairy-industry waste to bioenergy which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. His team’s systems also recover nutrients from wastewater, alleviating concerns about surface and groundwater

WSU’s Lav Khot, colleagues receive multi-state award for ag drone research

Stewart Bohnet

 

Lav Khot, associate professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, was honored by the for ongoing efforts to enhance the role of drones in agriculture.

Khot and colleagues at more than 20 research institutions received the 2022 National Excellence in Multistate Research Award from the Experiment Station Section (ESS) unit of the commission’s Board on Agriculture Assembly for their research and extension work in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) applications for U.S. agriculture and natural resources…

To read the rest of this article, go to CAHNRS News.

Juming Tang inducted into the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) 2021 Class of Fellows

Stewart Bohnet

December, 2021  |   WSU Research

Photo of Juming TangJuming Tang, Regents Professor, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, has been inducted into the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) 2021 Class of Fellows.

“Congratulations to Matthew McCluskey and Juming Tang for their induction as NAI Members. Through research and discovery, their innovations provide cutting-edge solutions to challenges that will benefit society and influence science, technology, and innovation worldwide,” said Sita Pappu, assistant vice president for the Office of Commercialization.

Tang has invented and commercialized electromagnetic spectrum wave-based food processes. Tang has focused his research on advancing thermal processing technologies and supporting knowledge for control of bacterial and viral pathogens in foods with minimum adverse effects on taste and nutrition.

Tang’s laboratory has developed two commercially viable technologies based on 915 MHz microwaves for production of high quality ready-to-eat meals with extended shelf-life in different storage conditions. The unique engineering designs allow predictable and rapid heating of pre-packaged food that eliminates food pathogens, replacing the long-time industrial method of canning foods.

Mark Schrader places in the ASABE Oral/Poster Competition at ASABE 2022

Stewart Bohnet

Mark Schrader presents

Jake Schrader ( PhD Student of Lav Khot, Agricultural Automation Engineering) is shown presenting in the ASABE Oral/Poster Competition during the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Houston, Texas, 2022.

Jake placed in the ASABE Oral/Poster Competition within the Machinery Systems technical community for his work entitled,“Thermal analysis of heated spray and implications for agricultural spray technologies”.

He will receive a $250 prize check for his presentation.

Behnaz Molaei places in the ASABE Oral/Poster Competition at ASABE 2022

Stewart Bohnet

Photo of Behnaz presenting

Dr. Behnaz Molaei (former PhD Student of Troy Peters, LAWREE) is shown presenting in the ASABE Oral/Poster Competition during the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Houston, Texas, 2022.

Dr. Molaei placed in the ASABE Oral/Poster Competition within the Machinery Systems technical community for her work entitled, “Investigating Practical Artificial Hot and Cold Reference Surfaces for Improved ET Estimation using the UAS-METRIC Energy Balance Model”.

She will receive a $250 prize check for her presentation.

 

 

Sustainable Jet Fuel Based on Lignin

Stewart Bohnet

August 2022 | STLE

 

Research on Lignin Jet FuelLignin-derived jet fuel displays a superior heat of combustion, higher seal swell properties and a much lower aromatic content compared to Jet-A.

Bin Yang, professor in the Biological Systems Engineering Department at Washington State University (WSU) in Richland, WA, says, “Besides using jet fuel, other propulsion options such as batteries and fuel cells are not suitable for use in long-distance airplance travel in the near future (less than 30 years). This places the aviation industry in the position of needing to find a sustainable alternative to Jet-A. One big concern with using the incumbent jet fuel is its aromatic content, which varies from approximately 8% to 25% by volume, which is key to the density and seal swell characteristics of jet fuel but increases engine soot production. Some approved alternative jet fuels, such as synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPKs), need the addition of aromatics and others contain aromatics. Ultimately, the aviation industry is seeking a 100% sustainable aviation fuel that produces no emissions.”

Continue reading the full article: Sustainable Jet Fuel Based on Lignin