Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

News & Updates

From the Chair

Our department mission is to improve quality of life by integrating and applying principles of engineering and biology to systems involving food, environment, energy, and health. To fully carry out that mission, our faculty go well beyond the traditional roles of research, teaching, and outreach, and are, in many cases, directly engaged with stakeholders and partners in improving those systems. The stories linked below in this issue highlight several examples, in which BAE faculty members are working directly with food processing companies, state agencies, municipalities, and global health partners to apply their expertise toward workforce training, regulatory implementation, and innovative solutions. Translating knowledge and know-how into impact is central to the BAE mission and identity, and we will continue to focus on improving quality of life through all our programs.

Lastly, it was an exciting day last month to celebrate in-person commencement with our newest BE alumni completing B.S. (see photo below), M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. Congratulations to them all as they move on to the next chapter of their professional journey, where they will continue to improve quality of life in a variety of important ways.

Please feel free to drop me a note anytime if you want to connect or discuss ideas or opportunities to engage.

Go Green!

Bradley Marks, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor and Department Chair

MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

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Food

BAE Professor Leads Modernization Effort for MSU's Better Process Control School Platform

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department (and Food Science and Human Nutrition) Professor Dr. Kirk Dolan has been part of the Better Process Control School (BCPS) since early 2000. The Better Process Control School is a program that was developed to meet the Federal regulation requirement and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Michigan State University(MSU) as one of the authorized schools to teach this program. Federal regulation requires that processors of thermally processed low-acid or acidified foods must operate with a supervisor who has passed the BPCS.

Environment

MSU Professor Provides Expertise to the State of Michigan

Michigan State University Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Dana Kirk has impacts across campus and state. At MSU, Dr. Kirk is an Associate Professor, the Undergraduate Director, and the ABET Coordinator within the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Dr. Kirk’s work in Extension with livestock National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting issues and the ADREC research and focus on food waste recovery has led Dr. Kirk to lend his expertise to various boards and commissions throughout the state.

Energy

MSU Team Leads Effort to Find Long-Term Plan for Biosolid Residual Materials

The City of Detroit has one of the largest, single-location wastewater treatment facilities in the country, which produces a large amount of biosolid residual material as a byproduct. The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) Water Resource Recovery Facility partnered with Michigan State University (MSU) to support their long-term plan to best use the biosolid residual materials. Additional partners like WM, NEFCO, and the City of Detroit were influential in determining the success of the project. The team from MSU, led by Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) Associate Professors Dr. Steven Safferman and Dr. Chris Saffron and Dr. Umesh Adhikari, post-doctoral associate at the time the project was being conducted, provided clear research to compare methods of treatment for continued evaluation.

Dr. Steven Safferman and Dr. Chris Saffron

Health

Success at the 2022 Innovation Forum

The Innovation Forum: Bridging Technologies and Market Needs took place on February 25-26, 2022 and opening remarks were given by Michigan State University President Dr. Samuel Stanley. The event was hosted by the Global Alliance for Rapid Diagnostics (GARD), which was founded by Dr. Evangelyn C. Alocilja after seeing the need for affordable and accessible diagnostic technologies in resource-limited populations. The forum took place continuously for 30 hours, allowing for partners from around the globe to come together and collaborate at their convenience.

Alumni News

BE Alumnus Peter Jansen Selected for NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Sixteen exceptional undergraduate and graduate students and alumni, from Michigan State University, have been selected for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program, along with 13 honorable mentions.

One recipient is Peter Jansen, who graduated from Michigan State University in 2020 with bachelor's degrees in Biosystems Engineering and German. Peter is currently a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The Ohio State University where his research is focused on ocular tissue engineering specifically 3D bioprinting acellular partial thickness corneal scaffolds. One of his research aims is to reduce the need for donor corneas.

Student Stories

A Degree in Biosystems Engineering Prepared MSU Student for Medical School

Emma Dester first came to Michigan State University (MSU) as a high school student and toured Dr. Evangelyn Alocija’s lab. She saw the healthcare diagnostics work taking place and wanted to be a part of it. Later, Dester toured the department again through the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship (ADS) program through MSU Honors College and it solidified her decision to join the department.

Oh, The Places You'll Go! Congratulations, Grads!

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