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The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers is a scientific and educational organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food, and biological systems. Founded in 1907 and headquartered in St Joseph, Michigan, ASABE comprises 9,000 members representing more than 100 countries. ASABE members serve in industry, academia, and public service and are uniquely qualified to determine and develop more efficient and environmentally sensitive methods of cultivating food, fiber, and timber for an ever-increasing world population. www.asabe.org/.

Chinn Receives ASABE 2011 A. W. Farrall Young Educator Award

Dr.Mari Chinn

Dr. Mari S. Chinn is the recipient of the 2011 A. W Farrall Young Educator Award for her outstanding leadership contributions to educating future agricultural and biological engineers through teaching, research and professional service. Her high level of dedication and motivation, natural leadership skills, and gregarious personality make her one of the best and the brightest educators of the current agricultural and biological engineering profession.

Chinn, an associate professor in the biological and agricultural engineering department at North Carolina State University, is an outstanding young educator with a strong record of leadership in curriculum development, student recruitment, advising, and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. Her teaching philosophy includes providing students with and environment that is relaxing and enjoyable, yet dynamic and challenging and she continually strives to keep students engaged. She uses cooperative learning and teamwork along with an emphasis on oral and written communication in the core course of Properties of Biological Engineering Materials, a course she regards a critical to meeting the curriculum's ABET criteria and preparing students for upper-level courses.

Chinn has led the development of a cutting edge and highly productive program in bioprocess engineering research involving the production of bio-based products through hydrolytic processes and semi-solid and liquid fermentation technologies. Such products include enzymes, biochemicals, and biofuels from agro-industrial residues and dedicated biomass crops. Working with other faculty, Chinn has helped to develop a state-of-the-art bioprocessing laboratory and is providing primary leadership to the lab in establishing protocol for analysis of aerobic and anaerobic microbial fermentation processes. In addition to leading both basic and applied research she has developed collaborative research with faculty from several NCSU departments, and with other research university institutions.

Chinn has authored or coauthored 18 refereed journal articles, conference proceedings, and extension publications, and has given more than 57 invited presentations.

A 10 year member of ASABE, Chinn has served in various leadership positions on the BE-28 Bioconversion and Bioprocess committee, including chair. She is currently serving on the Nominating committee and is vice-chair of the North Carolina Section. She has contributed as a manuscript reviewer for Transactions of the ASABE and has served as NCSU ASABE Student Club advisor and co-advisor of the 1/4 -Scale Tractor Design team.

The University of California, Davis, awarded Chinn with and Outstanding Senior recognition, along with a College of Engineering Departmental citation. Her other honors include a Lyman T. Johnson Graduate fellowship and a National Science Foundation Graduate fellowship. Her other professional activities have included service as a National Science Foundation Panel reviewer, and as an EPA-RTP Panel session moderator on renewable energy. Chinn is a member of four honorary societies.

NC State honored Stikeleather for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Dr.Larry Stikeleather

Dr. Larry Stikeleather, PE, was honored at the 22 annual Celebration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The luncheon was held at the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center November 22, 2011. The University celebrated 47 U.S. Patents issued in FY2011. Stikeleather along with Dr. Bill Roberts (Mechanical and Aerospace Engr.) and Dr. Henry Lamb (Chemical and Biomolecular Engr.) and Mr. Tim Turner (Permafuels Inc.) were recognized for U.S. Patent 7,816,570 Process for Conversion of Biomass to Fuel. This patent covers process for making “drop-in” transportations fuels (diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, etc.) from renewable lipid feedstocks such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and algal oil. The research was funded by the NC Biofuels Center.

The patent has been licensed to Avjet Biotech Inc. which has launched a new company called Red Wolf Refining.  Red Wolf Refining is one of four new startup companies growing out of NCSU Research in 2011. In addition to the U.S. Patent the team has numerous foreign patents pending. Dr. Stikeleather has received 12 US Patents during his career and has filed two new patent disclosures in 2011.

NC State honored Swartzel for 2011 Innovator of the Year Award

Dr. Ken Swartzel
Associate Professor

Honored at the NC State Celebration of Innovation and Entrepreneurship was BAE Associate Faculty member Dr. Kenneth R. Swartzel. He is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences and currently serves as the Coordinator of Bioprocessing Programs for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Swartzel also serves as the Director of the National Association of Public and Land-Grant University's Food Systems Leadership Institute. Dr. Swartzel previously held the position of Department Head of Food Science, 1993-2004 and the UNC Director of the NC Technology Development Initiative (2002-2003). His teaching and research interests have been in basic and applied kinetic principles and engineering considerations relative to processing and packaging of biomaterials.

In 1987 he founded CARPS, and NSF Research Center that focuses on advanced biomaterial processing and packaging. CRAPS, has since provided funding for over 180 research projects at 14 different universities. Dr. Swartzel has been recognized with 9 international research awards and named Fellow of both the institute of Food Technologists and the ASAE- the Society for Engineering in Agricultural, Food and Biological Systems.

In 2006 he received the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence; the highest award made by the university in recognition of a faculty's career achievements and contributions at NC State. In addition to 121 research publications to his credit he has co-authored 22 issued US patents. License revenue from these N .C. State owned patents have exceeded $20 million with licenses and or know-how forming the foundation for seven start-up companies based in North Carolina. Additionally, Dr. Swartzel has bought in over $23 million in external funding and or in-kind equipment donations to the University.

Skaggs Receives 2011 Faculty Resource Development Award

Dr. Wayne SkaggsDr. Wayne Skaggs, P.E. , The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences presented its 2011 Resource Development Awards April 13, during the annual joint luncheon of the N.C. Agricultural, Dairy and Tobacco Foundations at the N.C. State University Club. The awards, sponsored each year by the N.C. Agricultural Foundation Inc., recognized CALS faculty and student organizations for efforts in raising funds to benefit College programs, as well as volunteer, corporate/foundation and commodity organization support activities.

Dr. Skaggs award was for his "Outstanding Effort and Achievement in the Area of Private Resource Development "

Huffman Receives Outstanding BAE Professor Award

Dr. Rodney Huffman

Dr. Rod Huffman, P.E. received the 2010-2011 Outstanding BAE Professor Award. This award is given by Bio & Ag students in recogination of a professors special efforts. Dr. Huffman was recoginized for the number of classes he taught and the influence his teaching has made in developing this years students. The award was presented at Spring graduation.

Jennings Certification Workshops Receives 2011 IECA Environmental Education Achievement Award

Dr. Greg JenningsDr. Jennings, P.E. , Extension Specialist coordinator of the E&SC/Stormwater for NCDOT Projects Certification Workshops received the Environmental Education Achievement Award from the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) presented in March 2011. The certification workshops were developed at BAE through the efforts of Dr. Greg Jennings, P. E. Extension Specialist and Jan Patterson, P. E., Extension Associate. They worked with the DOT to create workshops involving varying levels of stormwater and erosion control understanding. The certifications are directed towards DOT contractors from engineers to the roadside BMP installers doing highway construction activities. The workshops educate and re-enforce understanding of the various erosion control methods, rules and regulations used to protect NC Waters from stormwater and sediment problems. Workshops in stormwater and erosion and sediment control have been taught by BAE since 2004 and in 2005 when the DOT made it a requirement for private contractors and their workers.

Jennings receives the 2011 Outstanding Leadership Award from the Southern Region Water Program

Dr. Greg Jennings, Extension water quality coordinator for North Carolina, received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Southern Region Water Program for his work with the Watershed Education for Communities and Officials (WECO) WECO is a program in the CALS Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, works with communities to build capacity for collaborative water resource management.

Grabow receives N.C. 2011 State Grange Search for Excellence Awards

Dr. Garry Grabow

Dr. Garry Grabow, Extension Specialist received a NC State Grange Search for Excellence Award from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Foundation at the State Extension Conference April 14, 11.The N.C. State Grange Search for Excellence Awards promote and identify professional excellence within all facets of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. There are five team awards and eight individual awards. Grabow was part of a team to helped growers adopt new cropping methods. Some growers used a variety of different pest control methods. Other growers changed their cropping systems completely; some even transitioned to organic production.Grabow was recognized for his training of extension agents in irrigation technology. The team received an award in the specialist category. Read the full story at IMP North Carolina.

Faculty Awards and Honors Listing