Frank J. Humenik, Ph.D. P.E.

Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Animal Waste Management

Biographical

Frank Humenik was a member of the department's faculty for 37 years. He was a triple graduate of Ohio State University and held a B. S. in Civil Engineering a M. S. in Sanitary Engineering and a Ph. D. in Civil Engineering. Dr. Humenik joined the department in 1969 as an assistant professor with a research and teaching appointment in the area of animal waste management. This would be an area of engineering that kept his interest for his entire career. Prior to his appointment as Associate Professor and Extension Leader in 1974, a position he held until 1998. His animal waste management research set an example for the nation in the area of land application of farm waste. He set up two demonstration units one for sow the other a hatchery and developed many of the basic principles and practices applied to broader applications of waste management.

Humenik also served an interim Department Head during the mid 1980's. During the 1980's he became keenly interested in Water Quality and how it relates to non-point source pollution. He managed 79 projects totaling more than $12,250,000 on animal waste management, non point source control, water quality and energy conservation. He served as the Federal Extension Water Quality Contact in North Carolina and Member of Southern Region Extension Water Quality Planning Committee. He was the Extension Leader for the Cooperative USDA Water Quality Demonstration Project and the Cooperative USDA Hydrologic Unit Area Project in North Carolina and a principal Investigator for CSREES five-year project to monitor practices to reduce non point source pollution on a watershed basis in cooperation with ARS, NRCS, USGS and N. C. Dept. of Water Quality.

He was additionally the Program Director for the grant supported NCSU Water Quality Group that has provided technical assistance to the Rural Clean Water Program for the past 16 years and has conducted grant supported projects on non point source control, stormwater management, onsite wastewater management, and decision support systems for water quality enhancement. He consulted widely throughout the nation on animal waste and water quality.

In 1998 he accepted the position of Coordinator of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Animal Waste Management Programs (AWM). He traveled to many parts of the world to consult and better understand the various techniques used in solving animal waste problems. He was recognized internationally for his work in animal waste management and was honored by AASABE with the G. B. Gunlogson Countryside Engineering Award and as a FELLOW of the Society. He earned many awards during his long career including recognition for his extension work receiving the North Carolina Extension Education Award.
He also served as Director of the National Center for Animal Waste Management working to coordinate information and understanding throughout the nation promoting environmental stewardship.