Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural Air Quality
Biographical Sketch
Robert W. “Bob” Bottcher, Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University passed away April 23, 2002 at the young age of 44. A native of Big Flats, New York, Bob attended Cornell University receiving the BS degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1979. He continued his education at NC State, earning the MS in 1981 and Ph.D. in 1985 in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. He joined the department as an assistant professor in February 1985 and proceeded to conduct state-of-the-art air quality research for 17 years. He quickly rose through the academic ranks being named Professor in 1995. His research efforts are renowned worldwide, with projects and interests in Holland, Taiwan, Brazil, England, New Zealand and Egypt. Author of over 30 refereed journal articles and 10 extension publications, the high quality of his research is noted by two ASABE Paper Awards and three ASAE Educational Aids Blue Ribbons.
DR. Botcher using an an odor tester in 1994.
Early in his career, Dr. Bottcher noticed the lack of research data and technical information needed to better understand and manage air quality and odor as it relates to agriculture. The focus of his research involved solving problems with livestock housing ventilation systems and odor emission controls. Studies involved: windbreak walls and wet pad scrubbers for reducing odorous dust emissions from tunnel ventilated livestock buildings, dust in concentrating and transporting odors from livestock buildings, determining poultry house thermal performance, windbreak walls and ducts for dispersing livestock and poultry building ventilation fan airflow, and quantification of odorant recoveries from TEDLAR™ bags and more.
Dr. Bottcher demonstrated the importance of proper static pressure across ventilated livestock and poultry buildings in cool weather with a building scale model of clear Plexiglas using colored dust particles to view flow. He tested equipment looking for the best ways to measure odor and the amount and rate of dust accumulation on walls. He placed towering bales of hay outside vent fans of livestock buildings to absorb odors and direct air flow higher into the atmosphere. He had many innovative ideas and tried many unique approaches to address air quality issues. His research simultaneously considered environmental control parameters (temperature, humidity, lighting), building design (structural, waste management) and air handling (tunnel ventilation, odor control, dust control) which made his research program one of the most respected in the country.
Dr. Bottcher’s contributions to the Department, University and profession go well beyond his assigned tasks in research and extension. Bob was one of those individuals who always ask “What can I do to help?” He was committed to the BAE undergraduate and graduate educational programs, having served as advisor for both the ASAE Student Branch and Alpha Epsilon. Throughout his career, he served on numerous departmental, college, university, and professional committees. Dr. Bottcher was a member of the Association of Agricultural Engineers and a member Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST).
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