College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

Iowa State named a partner in new Department of Energy bioenergy research center

July 19, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

Iowa State University is a partner institution in a new, $104 million research center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the project will study the next generation of plant-based, sustainable, cost-effective biofuels and bioproducts. Iowa State team includes Andy Van Loocke, assistant professor of agronomy; and Adina … Continue reading Iowa State named a partner in new Department of Energy bioenergy research center

Kohl: Bigger cattle require better facility design

July 17, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

Big cattle need plenty of room. The exact amount of recommended space per animal varies by the type of feed yard. Kris Kohl, Iowa State University Extension agricultural engineer, gave a rundown of stocking density guidelines at a cattle stewardship seminar at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds in Spirit Lake last month.

Helmers: Tile water nitrate testing

July 17, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

“We have 172 plots in all, and take about 4,000 water samples a year from them,” ISU Agricultural Engineering Specialist Dr. Matt Helmers told a group of farmers and agribusiness reps at the ISU Ag Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm near Boone. He said ISU has more than a $500,000 investment in drainage water quality … Continue reading Helmers: Tile water nitrate testing

50 years powering student success

July 5, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

It was August 1967 when Carl Bern first walked into a classroom at Iowa State University. He began his career in agricultural engineering as a teaching assistant, and has taught students at Iowa State every term since.

ISU Research Park boosts learning, economic development

July 5, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

Deere is setting up a research and innovation center collaborating with, among others, Matt Darr in the agricultural and biosystems engineering department. Darr, who was recently named to the Kinze Manufacturing Fellowship in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, has conducted several projects with Deere, many dealing with biomass harvesting equipment at Iowa State’s BioCentury Research Farm … Continue reading ISU Research Park boosts learning, economic development

Shouse: Keeping up with routine inspections key to keeping grain at high quality through summer

July 5, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

Shawn Shouse, a field specialist with Iowa State University Extension, said producers should inspect their bins when empty to ensure they’re in good condition and they’re not allowing in water. It’s important to keep them clean and dry on the inside to avoid mold buildup and rust.

Xin to present at U of A Center for Food Animal Wellbeing Symposium

June 26, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

Considerations and innovations in transporting poultry and hogs and the challenges and opportunities in managing beef cattle health and well-being will be among the topics covered Aug. 3 during the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing’s seventh annual symposium on current issues and advances in food animal well-being. The center is a unit of the U … Continue reading Xin to present at U of A Center for Food Animal Wellbeing Symposium

Shouse: Shade, sprinklers keep livestock cool

June 20, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

Calm and muggy days are particularly troublesome for feedlot cattle, says Shawn Shouse, Extension ag engineer with Iowa State University. Many feedlots are without shade, leaving cattle to sometimes bake in the summer sun. Some feedlots offer natural or manmade shade, and Shouse says adding even the smallest bit of shade can make a difference.

Ag engineering student brings aquaponics to ISU and beyond

June 6, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

For Sophie Rotole, a junior in agricultural engineering, it’s been a great experience for an undergraduate. “Miniponics 3.0 was a great success for me personally. It was a great opportunity to experience the engineering design process. I really enjoyed designing and constructing a product from start to finish and watching it function as intended,” she … Continue reading Ag engineering student brings aquaponics to ISU and beyond

Hanna: Integrating cover crops and livestock operations

May 31, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

ISU Extension ag engineer Mark Hanna told attendees that a proper planter setting is critical for the row crop. He advises placing the corn seed at a soil depth of 2 inches using down pressure to ensure consistency of seed placement, and having the disk openers set such that they would hold a piece of … Continue reading Hanna: Integrating cover crops and livestock operations

Industrial and agricultural technology alum gives keynote speech at UAPB convocation

May 31, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

A native of Augusta, Arkansas, Dr. Brittini Brown holds a M.S. in Industrial and Agricultural Technology from Iowa State University and received her doctoral degree in Youth Development and Agricultural Education (YDAE) from Purdue University. Not only was she the first African-American woman to graduate with a doctoral degree from the department, she was also … Continue reading Industrial and agricultural technology alum gives keynote speech at UAPB convocation

Iowa State students to study in Argentina

May 24, 2017 Dana Wilson, MFA

Representatives from Iowa State University’s Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering recently met with officers of APOSGRAN at the Bolsa de Cereales in Rosario, Argentina, to discuss plans for a faculty-led study abroad course in Argentina in May 2018.