BBE NEWSLETTER // SUMMER 2013

BioBriEfSUSTAINABILITY OF FOOD SYSTEMS: A GLOBAL LIFE CYCLE PERSPECTIVE

By the time this newsletter is printed Pro-fessor Jason Hill will be wrapping up his Massive Open Online Course (MOOC),

Sustainability of Food Systems: A Global Life Cycle Perspective. � e course provides an over-view of the world’s food system and its many impacts-from individuals to the global scale. Hill challenges the students to think critically about how the global food system may need to change and adapt to future economic and environmental conditions.

� e course was organized around � �een questions that cover topics Hill believes are necessary to understanding the sustainability of our global food system. Starting with week one de� ning the four components of food (water, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins). � e following week, connecting that to understand-ing the importance of domestication of plants and animals and genetic diversity to maintain global sustainability while creating biodiversity. Hill’s class structure walks the student through a wide spectrum of questions surrounding what is involved in a global food system.

MOOC‘s are free to anyone who wants to join in. In the case of Professor Hill’s class, this

THE BUSINESS OF FOODA LOOK AT FOOD ENGINEERING RESEARCH

The business of food is one of the largest in-dustries in the U.S. Consumers continue to demand greater variety and higher

quality, in addition to healthier and safer prod-ucts. � e food industry is trying to meet these needs while keeping costs in mind.

Some BBE faculty are researching environmen-tally sustainable food production technology systems. � is includes food system risk control, systems that ensure food safety and quality, and the design of e� cient and economical systems for processing, storing, and distributing food.

� is article highlights three research projects Professor Roger Ruan and Associate Research Professor Paul Chens are conducting in the area of food engineering.

continues on page 2Professor Hill

“At the heart of sustainability is this idea of “intergenerational equity” the idea that we can preserve for future generations the same opportunities that we have today. The idea that we can meet our own needs without damaging the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We can assess the sustainability of a system from any given fronts, economic, environmental, social, and health.” – Professor Jason Hill

created a preregistration number of 27,500 with 15,000 participating. � e diverse view points of students from 138 countries creates a special global perspective that has become part of the teaching process, creating a class that is truly unique.

Hill incorporates teachings from colleagues from all over the world, and creates open fo-rums, student interaction counts as 50% of the grade. By taking advantage of MOOC’s unique interactive, global platform, students are able to pose questions to both the professionals that were interviewed and to each other.

Hill has been thrilled with the international interaction, “I can see that people are starting to think globally, they are realizing that there are similarities that unite people worldwide.”

Measuring food stability and quality using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Dr. Ruan and Dr. Chen research NMR and MRI based methods to measure and deter-mine the properties of food (physiochemical properties, shelf life, and stability of food products and ingredients, and presence of microbes). With this information processes can be developed to improve food quality.

“NMR and MRI were not originally developed for food applications but they have great potential in the food industry if they are improved and new techniques are developed. What makes these methods unique is that they are non-destructive, non-invasive and fast compared to conventional methods.”

—Dr Ruan

For example, with NMR technologies, during storage one can periodically monitor the change of water mobility in a food sample enclosed in a sealed package without opening the package and touching the sample. MRI enables continuous observation of heating, cooling, or soaking of a food sample without any physical interruption.

Dr. Chen and Dr. Ruan’s research is focused on developing new pulse sequences, hardware, data processing and analysis methodologies to enhance NMR and MRI based analytical capability. For example, with NMR technolo-gies, during storage one can periodically monitor the change of water mobility in a

food sample enclosed in a sealed package without opening the package and touching the sample. MRI enables continuous observa-tion of heating, cooling, or soaking of a food sample without any physical interruption.

Dr. Chen and Dr. Ruan’s research is focused on developing new pulse sequences, hard-ware, data processing and analysis meth-odologies to enhance NMR and MRI based analytical capability.

Improving the bioavailability of phytochemicals in whole grains and other plant materials. Whole grains are an excellent source of � ber and phytochemicals. Many of these bene� ts cannot be realized because they are not bioavailable in their natural form. In other words, most of the bene� cial chemicals found in plants that may provide health bene� ts for us, when eaten are insoluble and not absorbed into our system.

Dr. Ruan and Dr. Chen are investigating how to improve the bioavailability of these phytochemicals. An example of their research is with wheat bran. Wheat bran contains majority of the phenolic antioxidants found in the wheat kernel. Currently, 80% of the phenolic acids in wheat bran are structurally bound and insoluble. Wheat bran contains 43% dietary � ber, but only 3% of it is soluble � ber. Insoluble � ber is less functional than soluble � ber, which has been shown to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar.

� ey have developed a series of processes (in-cluding pretreatments, high pressure homog-enization (HPH), enzymatic treatment, etc.) to improve the bioavailability of phytochemicals and micronutrients in wheat bran.

A number of process variables were tested (grinding, soaking, chemical pretreatment conditions, pressure of homogenization, type and dosage of enzymes, and enzymatic treat-ment conditions). Combined chemical and physical processing and enzyme treatments achieved greater release of bound phenolics than chemical and physical processing alone.

Soluble dietary � ber increased dramatically, nearly � ve-fold in bran with chemical and HPH processing while insoluble � ber de-creased. � e optimized processing conditions resulted in wheat bran ingredients with 500% increased viscosity, 400% increased WHC, a nearly 500% increase in soluble dietary � ber, and a three hundred fold increase in free phenolics.

Future studies to con� rm cholesterol reduction, increased bioavailability of antioxidants, and additional physiological attributes are planned.

Non-thermal processes for pasteurization of liquid and solid foods Until recently, thermal processes, especially ultra-high temperature (UHT) and high temperature short time (HTST), had been the most commonly used methods in the food in-dustry to increase shelf-life and maintain food safety. However, studies have shown that these methods modify the molecular structure of the

A prototype CHIEF system consisting of 4 reactor modules. The modules can be arranged in parallel or serial depending on the pasteurization requirement.

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Researchers measure the particle size distribution of processed bran materials using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer.

Dr. Yun Li, a postdoctoral research associate, adjusts the power and control system for the NMR/MRI instrument.

THE BUSINESS OF FOOD continued from page 1

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A prototype CHIEF system consisting of 4 reactor modules. The modules can be arranged in parallel or serial depending on the pasteurization requirement.

INTRODUCING BBE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ABDENNOUR ABBAS

Some personal history:I was born and raised in Algeria and moved later to France for my higher education at the Univer-sity of Lille. I grew up in a village that looks a lot like Falcon Heights with its agricultural � elds

(minus the snow). My parents used to do a lot of farming and this kind of experience leaves you with a very particular relationship with nature. In France, I studied biotechnology and then materials science and engineering with a focus on biosensors and the application of nanotechnology to biological issues. I moved to the US in 2010, right a� er receiving my PhD, and worked as a postdoctoral research associate for three years at the University of California and then at Washington University in St Louis. Today, I am delighted to join the BBE department and use my expertise to trig-ger new research directions and contribute to the department success with the other faculty.

How will your background enhance BBE’s Bio-processing and Food Engineering Program?Food Engineering is a multidisciplinary � eld combining engineering principles and techniques with food science, microbiology and chemistry. Modern science is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, and solving any problem—be it in food engineering or quantum physics—requires the convergence of di� erent backgrounds and tools. You may be struggling to solve a problem in one disci-pline, while solutions are readily available in another scienti� c � eld. It is all about visibility. My broad expertise in nanotechnology and biotechnology o� ers the possibility to address food and environmental issues from the na-noscale and nanoengineering perspective, and thus opens up new opportunities to solving problems. � e fact that the job description of this new position was focused on “Biosensors and Bionanotechnology” reveals the impor-tance given by the department to a broad visibility in scienti� c research.

What BBE courses you will be teaching:I will be teaching Engineering Principles for Biological Scientists (BBE 4744). � is course is intended to help students understand the basic principles and tools in engineering that are relevant to biological, food and agricultural sciences. It is also intended to show the impor-tance of the engineering approach. If science is about understanding, engineering is about control. If you seek to revolutionize agricul-ture, innovate in food processing or � nd new solutions for the environment, than you need to learn some engineering.

In the future, it will be interesting to develop a new course that deals speci� cally with intro-ducing nanotechnology to grad and under-grad students of any major. Nanotechnology can make agriculture and food science much more appealing not only for students but also for funding agencies.

What research topics will you be working on? Our main focus will be on the development of novel device-free hand-held nanobiosen-sors with three major applications: (i) a rapid detection of bacterial contamination in food processing plants or military dining facili-ties. � ese portable biosensors could also be used by food inspectors at the borders and along the food chain. (ii) Secondly, we would like to develop integrated sensors for smart or reactive food packaging. (ii) Finally, we are interested on empowering farmers and agri-cultural engineers with biosensors that enable early detection of plant diseases.

What you are looking forward to doing as part of BBE?Beyond the speci� c research and teaching activities described above, my hope is to help create synergies between the department, the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Biotechnology Institute on one side and other engineering departments and nanotechnology facilities in the other side. A lot of amazing things can be achieved with interdisciplinary collaborations, and the U of M is a perfect environment to do that.

This fall Dr. Abdennour Abbas will be joining the BBE faculty. His focus is on biosensors and bionanotechnology related to bioprocessing and food engineering. Dr Abbas brings a strong interdisciplinary background, with training in material science and engineering, analytical chemistery, and macro/nanotechnology.

proteins, causing degradation in color, � avor, and nutrients in foods; resulting in volatile � avors and the loss of vitamins. Non-thermal methods are alternatives which o� er the possibility of preparing fresh-like, minimally processed safe food.

Dr. Ruan and Dr. Chen are developing non-thermal plasma (NTP) and concentrated high intensity electric � eld (CHIEF) based meth-ods for low temperature pasteurization of liquid and solid foods. Both NTP and CHIEF technologies are very new.

� e system uses novel reactors with simple high-frequency AC power supply to generate high-intensity electric � elds or non-thermal plasma to inactivate microorganisms in solid or liquid foods. � e reactor uses a less expen-sive power supply, is more energy e� cient and does not have electrode erosion and contami-nation problems.

Recently, a prototype CHIEF system was built and used to test the CHIEF process for low temperature pasteurization of whey protein beverages. � e physical and chemical stability of these processed beverages were studied and the e� ects of formulation on the performance of CHIEF process were examined. � e results show that the CHIEF process maintains the physical and chemical properties while killing microbes in whey protein beverages. Ruan’s research group is using NTP treatment to im-prove the solubility of milk powders (shown in photos in this article).

� is research has potential to enhance bacte-rial kill, reduce energy consumption, and assure safety while maintaining the quality of the food.

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WHAT’S IN A UROP? OPPORTUNITY.

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You’re a student in BBE and would like to � nd out what it would be like to actually do the research you are learning about in your classes. What do you do? This past year, 13 students in BBE had the opportunity to pursue research related experiences in their area of study through the UMN Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). This is a unique program that provides a stipend to undergraduates for special research projects. Mentored by a faculty member, they perform their own project and experience the research process, gaining experience and knowledge.

To receive a UROP a student applies to the program by developing and submitting a proposal and � nding a faculty member to work with. Following are two UROPs that took place in the BBE department this past academic year.

Depolymerization of Organosolv LigninChristina Gleich, Sophomore, Bioproducts Engineering Track

Who are you working with on this project?My UROP mentor is Dr. Dharma Kodali. He helps me � gure out where to go next or what to try. Scientist Lucas Stolp helps with the chemistry components of physically doing the research in the lab and analyzing the data to � nd out what I get out of my material and if we need to try something di� erent with it.

What UROP are you working on? What are you hoping to � nd out? My UROP is the “Depolymerization of Organosolv Lignin”. I am trying to break down the large lignin molecule into some of the possible monomers and oligomers to obtain a value added product with possible aromatic rings. � is would allow us to use the

material for something other than just burning it for energy. But we thought we would try organosolv lignin to see how it acts, if we can get more out of it, or how the products of the depolymerization are di� erent.

How will participating in this UROP help you?� e project allows me to utilize some of the knowledge that I’ve learned in my classes, along with developing laboratory skills and techniques which I will use in the future. I am learning how to do research: to have a plan, but, because results turn out di� erent than what I thought, how to revise the plan.

Comparison of three agricultural residue-based � lter media for use in a denitrifying bioreactorNoah Slocum, Freshman, Environmental and Ecological Engineering Track

Who are you working with on this project?My faculty mentor is Dr. Gary Feyereisen, Adjunct Associate Professor, BBE. He is an agricultural engineer and researcher with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Todd Schumacher, a technician at the USDA-ARS working with Dr. Feyereisen, has been of great help to me as well. I also work with Madison Rogers, a freshman in BBE also doing a bioreactor-themed UROP.

What UROP are you working on? What are you hoping to � nd out? Out� ow of nitrate from agricultural areas that are subsurface tile drained is a serious concern. � e use of denitrifying bioreactors to � lter nitrate from agricultural drainage (by hosting microbes that convert the nitrate to nitrogen gas), shows promise in helping mitigate pollution of freshwater sources surrounding cultivated land. In this project I am hoping to determine the e� ectiveness of a corn cob and wood chip mixture as a � lter medium in denitrifying bioreactors in comparison to six other materials that Dr. Feyereisen’s team is examining. Madison Rogers’ UROP focuses on

how to determine the hydraulic conductivity of each media. By studying these factors we hope to determine the advantages / disadvantages of using each of the materials in a denitrifying bioreactor.

How will participating in this UROP help you?Many of the skills I have developed will be very useful both in the classroom and beyond. From scienti� c presentations to water sample analysis, I am learning much more than I could have hoped for. Overall, it has been an extremely positive experience, and I hope to continue to contribute to research e� orts like this one both in my time at the University and throughout my career.

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Climate Impacts of High-Protein DietsAmelia Kreiter Dr. Jason Hill, Mentor

Ethanol Production of Co-cultures using various Biological FeedstockstLucas LabineDr. Ulrike Tschirner, Mentor

Ecohydrological Investigations of Minnesota River Sandbar VegetationRachel RauschDr. Chris Lenhart, Mentor

Hydraulic Flow Characteristics of a Promising Denitrifying Bioreactor MediumMadison RogersDr. Gary Feyereisen, Mentor

Lignin Depolymerization using Lewis Acid CatalystsThomas Schrankler Dr. Dharma Kodali, Mentor

Conversion of Waste from a Forest Products Mill to Cellulosic EthanolCody Anderson,Dr. Ulrike Tschirner, Mentor

Impact of Adding Nanoparticles to a Wood Thermosetting AdhesiveAva ShrenkDr. William Tze, Mentor

Simulation of Nisin Production from Whey by a Mixed Culture of Lactococcus Saccharomyces CerevisiaeSharif Natasha AqilahDr. Bo Hu, Mentor

Use of Waste Lignin in PolyLactide PolymerMaggie NelsonDr. Ulrike Tschirner, Mentor

Analysis of Growing Conditions of Microbes causing Foaming in Swine Manure Gaurav KandlikarDr. Bo Hu, Mentor

Environmental Impact Analysis of the USDA’s BioPreferred ProgramMatt KilpoDr. Tim Smith, Mentor

Optimization of Biogas Production through Grease Trap Waste and Dairy ManureSean MeehanDr. Bo Hu and Research Engineer David Schmidt, Co-Mentors

ADDITIONAL UROP PROJECTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE BBE DEPARTMENT

CHRISTINE FORLAND Christine received a B.S. from BBE in Bio-based Products Marketing and Management (BPMM) in 2012. She is currently working on her masters in Bioproducts Marketing and Management.

Family: I grew up with my mother, father, younger sister and brother, and miniature schnauzer on � ve acres on a dead-end gravel road. Living outside of the cities and all of my time spent outdoors instilled my love of the environment and was one of the motivations for choosing my career path.

Favorite BBE Courses: In the undergraduate program I can narrow it down to my three favorite BBE courses: Renewable Energy and the Environment (BBE 2201), Biocomposites and Biomass Energy (BBE 4412W), and Biodegradation of Bioproducts (BBE 4302). All three courses were, I felt, unique in subject matter from the other BBE courses I had taken. Learning more about renewable energy in BBE 2201 and 4412W really sparked my interest; I especially enjoyed the “Do Something and

Report It” project in BBE 2201—for which I made a collection of solar-powered jar lights—and the renewable energy debate in BBE 4412W—for which I defended anaerobic digestion. BBE 4302 turned fungi and other wood degraders, a subject that some students might not be too enthused about, into a truly pleasurable learning experience and one of my favorite courses.

� us far, my favorite courses in graduate school have been Economics and Natural Resource Management (ESPM 5261) and GIS for Natural Resources (FR5131). I really enjoy economics, so it was exciting to learn more about how it can be applied to an area that interests me.

Work/Intern experience: I was a Renewable Energy Intern for Dovetail Partners, Inc. last summer. Dovetail Partners is a nonpro� t corporation that provides reliable information about the impacts and tradeo� s of environmental decisions. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of such a skilled and passionate team, and my work resulted in a report titled “Barriers and Opportunities for Post-construction Wildlife Monitoring at Wind

Energy Facilities in the Great Lakes Region.” I am now a Graduate Research Assistant working in Dr. Jason Hill’s research group, whose work is very diverse but primarily explores our world’s food and energy systems and seeks to improve their sustainability by understanding their impacts from a life cycle perspective.

Something most BBE members don’t know about me: I am addicted to houseplants—especially succulents and cacti. I bought multiple plants from this year’s Horticulture Club plant sale and le� the CBS plant sale with a full box of miniature succulents. My desk is starting to look like a greenhouse.

Goals: My short term goal is to select a thesis topic. I am interested in so many subject areas and have so much knowledge and so many skills I would like to gain that it is di� cult to narrow it all down to one speci� c idea. A� er that hurdle, and actually writing my thesis, my greatest goals are to graduate with my Master of Science and move on to a career in the industry that will allow me to apply all of the knowledge I have gained through BBE and my career experiences.

GRADUATE STUDENT PROFILE

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BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOSYSTEMS CLASS OF 2013

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES

College of Food, Agriculture and Natural ResourcesBioproducts Marketing and Management and Residential Building Science and Technology

Corporate Environmental Management (ESPM)

College of Science and EngineeringBioproducts and Biosystems Engineering

MS AND PH.D. GRADUATES

Bioproducts and Biosystems Science, Engineering, and Management (BBSEM)

Kevin Anderson

Bryan Bengtson

Michael Berg

Royce Durham

Louis LaCroix

Nicholas Lagos

Kayleb Lassche

Mitchell Motsko

Gwendolyn Ruehle

Claire Sauer

Travis Smith

Braden Solum

Cory Stewart

Samantha Anthonijs

Tyler Gehling

Jiaxin Han

Xiaomin Han

Ellyn Jennings

Matthew Kilpo

Kelsey Klucas

Yuanlong Li

Mamta Mandan

Matthew Marinello

Jessica Primozich

Nuoshi Yang

Karla Bussen

Samantha Bzdawka

Jeff Chambers

Jessica DeGennaro

Nicholas Grewe

Katherine Grady

Mayank Gupta

Vedansh Gupta

Nathan Heers

Taylor Hoffman

Christopher Huelsnitz

Emily Hutson

Kenneth Kildahl

Brady Krueger

Christian Kunicki

Marta Little

Robert Little

Suttida Meeboon

Keaton Meinel

Sharifah Aqilah Syed Mohd Nasir

Jack O’Brien,

H Ava Schrenk

Naomi Sperry

Emily Williams

Fan Zhang

Yuxi Zhao

Jeevan Prasaad Govindharajulu, M.S.

Liang Li, M.S.

Xiaochen Ma, M.S.

Shinnosuk Onuki, M.S.

Keir Stiegler, M.S.

Yuan Zhao, M.S.

Zhenyi Du, Ph.D.

Huixiao Zheng, Ph.D.

Hongjian Lin, Ph.D.

Bing Hu, Ph.D.

Liesch Associates

Weyerhaeuser

City of Minneapolis

Metso

Georgia Paci� c

HDR Engineering

Integrated Recycling Technologies

3M

Limno Tech

SunOpta

Schwan Food Company

Berquist Company

Cocoon Solutions

Starkey Labs

Residential Science Resources

Life Floor

Some of the organizations where BBE students were offered internships and full-time postitions

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Each spring semester, teams of students create a comprehensive engineering design for a process, system, or product solution. Completed projects are presented to an audience.

2013 BBE CAPSTONE DESIGN PROJECTS

BOTANICAL WATERSNicholas Perko, Nathan Heers, Jonathan Kennelly

SEEING PAST PVCAva Schrenk, Emily Williams, Brian Wahl, Alex Rohde

FULTON BREWERYSuttida Meeboon, Samantha Bzdawka, Naomi Sperry

CLEAN AS WATERTaylor Hoffman, Kate Grady, Marta Little, Louise Heffernan, Emily Hudson

TEAM NEWPAGEJack O’Brien, Christian Kunicki, Kenneth Kildahl

WASTE WARRIORSJaewon Cho, Mitchell McBride, Janet Ohlert, Ashlee Sturdevant

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This year’s hands-on project in Biodegradation of Bioprod-ucts was to grow mushrooms, speci� cally a wood-degrading variety known in grocery stores as the ‘oyster mushroom’

(Pleurotus ostreatus). � e students did this with help from two BBE graduate students, Jason Oliver and Gerry Presley. Growing mush-rooms is not easy, says Professor Schilling. “Solid-state culturing of wood-degrading fungi requires one to calculate the appropriate ratio of moisture, air, and nutrients, and to avoid contamination by other fungal spores � oating around. Getting them to produce mush-rooms requires even more care. Ask any grow-your-own enthusiast, and you will hear about failures.” In addition to learning a hands-on method for exploring product durability, environmental remedia-tion strategies, and basic fungal biology, Schilling says there is one more bene� t, “� e mushrooms taste great with butter and garlic.”

CULTIVATING MOLDY IDEASAN INSIDE LOOK AT BBE4302/5302 BIODEGRADATION OF BIOPRODUCTS

“They should last until after I retire, which is good because I’ll need a place to sit and watch the mushrooms grow.”

—Professor Jonathan Schilling

Each spring Professor Jonathan Schilling teaches BBE 4302/5302: Biodegradation of Bioproducts. This course focuses on organisms and their importance to bio-based products: deterioration, control, the bioprocesses for bene� t. During the semester Professor Schilling offers a hands-on project to illustrate what is being taught in the class.

Spring 2012 class project involved building two picnic tables, one using chemically-treated lumber and the other naturally-durable lumber, western red cedar. � ere are ways to build to avoid both abiotic damage, such as checking, and then there are ways to build to avoid fungal rot. � e chemically-treated wood, for example, is treated at a higher dose in the legs of the table while the table top is not treated at all.

(Above) Researchers in Professor Schilling’s laboratory often grow fungi (pictured, Pluerotus ostreatus) in sterile microcosm environments and then use modern DNA- and RNA-based methods to track dynamics. This know-how is also useful for do-it-yourself mushroom cultivation. This resonates with students who, in turn, learn a valuable technique in the � eld of microbiology.

(Below) Spring 2012 class and picnic tables.

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TAPPI/PIMA (Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industries), the leading association for worldwide pulp, paper, packaging and converting industries, hosts an annual National Student Summit. � e Summit is a venue for undergraduate and graduate students from

all over the country to come together and learn about jobs as well as the key challenges and opportunities existing in the industry today. In the past, BBE has only been able to support 3-4 students. � is year, 12 of our students represented the U at the summit. � is increase was due to hard work by the students to raise funds from PIMA/TAPPI, the University, the industry partners and alumni.

Attending the TAPPI/PIMA Student Summit served as a great resource for these students. All of the BBE students went through interviews and several secured summer internships or co-ops. In addition, the group won an engineering competition by designing, with two roles of paper towels, a bridge that spanned six feet.

� e students in BBE TAPPI/PIMA group are active and motivated. � is past spring the group received the “Outstanding Organizational Programing Award” by the College of Food, Agricultural & Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and BBE student Kenny Kildahl was chosen to receive the “2013 Outstanding Student Chapter Member” award from TAPPI/PIMA.

BBE’S TAPPI/PIMA STUDENT GROUP SENDS RECORD NUMBERS TO STUDENT SUMMIT“We were able to send 12 under-graduates to the student summit in Raleigh, NC. We had a good mix of grade levels; 4 seniors, 5 juniors, 2 sophomores, and 1 freshman.”

–Janet Ohlert

“Throughout the conference there were onsite interviews for full time and internship positions at various paper companies. There were career and networking events where we could participate in mock interviews, resume critiques, and network with paper industry professionals. Speakers discussed new technology and ideas for paper products. The ones that really stuck out for me were water puri� cation foams (presented by Joel Pawlak of N.C. State), lignin degrading enzymes, and printable electronics.”

–Janet Ohlert, Co-president, U of MN BBE TAPPI/PIMA Student Chapter

“One of my favorite parts about the conference was meeting students from other schools. It gave me perspective about how we all learn from different programs (whether it’s chemical engineering with an emphasis in paper science, plain paper science, or a biobased focused program like our BBE program) we all have different class requirements, but we can end up doing the same job. I also like how we all have a weird enthusiasm for paper (which makes it more interesting).”

–Christina Gleich, BBE TAPPI/PIMA Student Chapter Member

Mark Greve, Thomas Ebert, Cody Anderson

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BBE’S ADVISORY COUNCILThe Department has a long history and tradition of close partnership with external stakeholders.The purpose of the BBE Advisory Council is to provide advice, counsel and support to the educational and research programs in the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering (BBE) and help them to be successful and achieve their vision.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO BE INVOLVEDIn addition to providing advice and guidance to the department through participation in the annual meeting and Senior Capstone Design projects, council members mentor students, provide experiential opportunities via internships and co-ops, support the scholarship program and participate in one of the following committees:

ACADEMIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE Support the faculty on undergraduate curricula and accreditation of the departmental programs.

STUDENT PLACEMENT, SCHOLARSHIP, AND ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Leverage industry partners to provide students with � nancial support, networking and employment opportunities, which will in turn grow the Council.

STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION COMMITTEE Assist with bringing new students to our programs and then providing services and activities to retain them by mentoring throughout their college career.

ADVISORY BOARD NOMINATION COMMITTEE Create and manage a succession plan for board members and leadership to ensure strength and continuity of the Advisory Council.

TO LEARN MORE

Visit our website: www.bbe.umn.edu/AboutUs/AdvisoryCouncil. If you are interested in being part of the group, we would like to hear from you. Contact Professor Shri Ramaswamy (shri@umn.edu)

“Serving on the BBE Advisory Council provides an opportunity to improve the department and in� uence the education of students. � e goal is to graduate leaders who understand the various challenges the world faces today and who are prepared to meet those challenges with innovation and creativity.”

—Sonia Maassel Jacobsen, BBE Alumni and Advisory Council Board Vice-Chair

Bob Scarborough served as BBE’s Advisory Council Board Chair from 2008-2012

BBE thanks Bob for his dedication and commitment. He has shown a passion for mentoring students in their professional development. Bob’s leaderships of the Council is deeply appreciated and we are fortunate that he will continue to serve as a member of the Advisory Council.

–Shri Ramaswamy, Department Head

The BBE Advisory Council connects students, faculty, and industry leaders in a way that helps and supports the vision and mission of the U of M, the college, and the department. My participation on the board is invigorating, I am energized each time I work with the faculty and students.

--Bob Scarborough

“We invite anyone who is interested in what we do and willing to help/support us to become members of the council. We would like to invite you to become a member and help provide advice, guid-ance for our programs, and support our students and programs.”

–Shri Ramaswamy, BBE Department Head

Advisory Council Board Vice-Chair Sonia Maassal-Jacobsen speaking with junior scientists, Ryan Noe and Elizabeth “Libby” Nachman during the poster session at the Scholarship Banquet

MEMBERSHIP� e members of the council represent organizations, government agencies, industries, alumni and individuals. � ese members are actively engaged in or interested in the broad areas of bioproducts and biosystems and are interested in supporting the educational and research mission of the department.

“As an industry representative and proud BBE graduate, I am grateful for the opportunity to provide advice and feedback through the Advi-sory Council. I’ve enjoyed the interaction with the BBE faculty and sta� during Council events, and appreciate how seriously they consider our ideas and then strive to incorporate them into the curriculum and overall student experience.”

–Walter Eshenaur, BBE Alumni and Advisory Council Board Member

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Last September I took on the responsibility of interim head as Dr. Shri Ramaswamy took a year sabbatical to focus on research. I had never before taken on this type of responsibility. With my regular teaching and research activities going on, it was challenging to balance it all. I want to thank all of our faculty and sta� for their help. I especially wish to thank Shri for his guidance in many matters; even though he was on leave he still provided a lot of help. I hope to return the favor as we move forward.

Our academic program continues to prosper through the tireless activities of our talented faculty and the dexterity of Tracy Fallon. Tracy joined our department in November to provide program and administrative support. Her primary responsibility is to develop activities to promote and sustain the BBE departmental programs. She works with high schools, community colleges, and the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), and the College of Food Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) to recruit freshman and transfer students into our programs. We have already seen some very positive results from Tracy’s leadership and we look forward to much more.

We are thrilled by the reception Dr. Jason Hill’s MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) ‘Sustainability of Food Systems: A Global Life Cycle Perspective’, has received. Over 25,000 students are enrolled in the course. � is is an amazing opportunity to advertise the BBE department and our program o� erings.

Dr. Abdennour Abbas will join us fall semester as Assistant Professor of Biosensors and Bionanotechnology. Dr. Abbas’ expertise is in bionanosensors, and his e� orts in the department will be focused on

food safety and security. He will be involved in teaching our BBE course o� ered to food science and nutrition students, and it is expected that he will develop a course on bionanotechnology.

Recently a new research and teaching position in renewable energy associated with BBE was approved by the college. � is is a joint position with the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC). It will be located at the West Central ROC, Morris, MN, but the teaching component and the tenure home of the position is connected to BBE. A search to � ll this position will begin during this summer with Drs. Larry Jacobsen and Jun Zhu acting as search committee co-chairs.

As mentioned in the fall newsletter, the BBE faculty has been very successful in acquiring research grants and contracts to help support our research and graduate education programs. During the spring semester I observed a � urry of activity by our faculty writing proposals for funding from foundations, federal and state sponsors, and private corporate sponsors. I expect that much of this activity will be successful and lead to a continued strengthening of the BBE research base.

Finally, I wish to thank the BBE Advisory Council and Advisory Board for their e� orts to improve the BBE academic program and employment and internship opportunities for BBE students. I especially want to thank Bruce Johnson for his willingness to lead the Advisory Board as acting chair. Bruce has led with some new initiatives that will increase opportunities for council and board members to be involved throughout the year.

I look forward to continued progress in improvement of the BBE program. I wish you all the best. Let us hear from you when you have the opportunity.

NOTE FROM THE INTERIM DEPARTMENT HEAD

DEPARTMENT AWARDSDr. David SchmidtRichard C. Newman Art of Teaching Award� is award is presented annually to a faculty member who focuses on the natural resource sciences, achieves excellence in teaching, and has a positive impact on students.

Dr. Bruce WilsonBorealis Distinguished Teaching Award as an Undergraduate Faculty Recipient� is award recognizes CFANS faculty who have made notable innovations in undergraduate education at the college, department level.

BBE’s TAPPI Student GroupBorealis Award for Outstanding Organizational Programming by a Student Chapter

Dr. Tim SmithCFANS Distinguished Faculty Award� e Distinguished Faculty Award recognizes a CFANS faculty member who has demonstrated the ability to motivate students, is regarded highly by college peers and sta� , and whose work builds on the College vision and priorities. Kenny Kildahl

TAPPI’s 2013 Outstanding Student Chapter Member AwardA BBE engineering student, Kenny recruited new members and led fundraising e� orts to � nance a Chapter trip to the TAPPI PIMA Student summit.

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BBE South BioAgEng Building1390 Eckles Avenue

BBE North Kaufert Lab2004 Folwell Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55108

CONTACT USe: bbe@umn.edup: 612.625.5200

BBE SNEAK PEEKTUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 SAVE THE DATE! We are hosting a prospective student Open House on October 29, 5:00 – 8:00pm.

For more information, please contact Tracy Fallon at 612.624.9603 or tfallon@umn.edu.

SAVE THE DATE!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24Join us for the annual BBE Scholarship Luncheon and Advisory Council Meeting. This year we will host a Networking Reception. Meet undergraduate and graduate students, staff and faculty, college representatives, alumni and industry professionals.

For more information, please visit www.bbe.umn.edu/AboutBBE/ScholarshipLuncheonor call us at 612-624-9603.

BIOPRODUCTS & B IOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING SUSTA INABLE USE OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES — ENHANCEMENT OF THE ENV IRONMENTBBE

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U.S. POSTAGEPAID

TWIN CITIES, MNPERMIT # 32674

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If you have news you’d like to share: enzle006@umn.edu