Department of Agricultural Engineering Funding Priorities

The Department of Agricultural Engineering, founded in 1906, will be celebrating its centennial year in 2006. The department has contributed significantly to the diverse industry of agriculture in Michigan, the nation and beyond through its teaching, research and Extension programs in keeping with the mission of the premier land-grant university. Mechanization of horticultural crops, land clearing, drainage, rural road construction, sewage disposal, rural electrification were among the early contributions of the department. Later the department was involved in animal housing, crop storage, food processing and preservation, bio-energy, and agriculture safety. More recent contributions include precision agriculture, animal waste management, nutrient transport and water quality, food safety, crop bio-processing and bio-sensors. The department has responded to the changing demands of agriculture and society in general.

In 1995 a new undergraduate major, Biosystems Engineering (BE) replaced Agricultural Engineering (AE). The program was designed in response to society's need for engineers who can take systems approach to finding sustainable solutions to complex biological problems that include food, agriculture, natural resources and the environment. The program has become very successful at attracting high quality students and in improving the gender balance within the program. The graduates have been very successful in the job market, working hard to solve problems in areas such as agricultural pollution control, animal waste management, water quality and management, food quality and safety, and ecosystems management. A new undergraduate major, Technology Systems Management (TSM), has been specifically designed to meet the needs of food, agriculture and natural resources industries for technologically trained professionals. The program is pending approval at the university level.

In 1999 the Department began a faculty driven strategic planning process called the Challenge 2007. The primary objective of the process is to develop strategies to position the department to meet the challenges of society in the 21st century. Key outcomes of the process have been the development of our mission statement, core values, and the identification of intellectual themes. Our mission is to improve people's lives by integrating and applying principles of engineering and biology in food, agriculture, natural resources, and environmental systems. The three intellectual themes include environment and natural resources enhancement; food and bio-processing; and precision agriculture. Furthermore, the department is considering a name change to Biological Engineering to better reflect the biological base of our programs of study. The department will need support from its alumni and friends to enable the transition from agricultural engineering to biological engineering. Resource needs have been identified below:

Endowed Chair in Food Safety and Biosecurity (naming opportunity) (jointly with Food Science and Human Nutrition and Packaging) An endowed chair in Food Safety and Biosecurity will bring new and expanded expertise in issues related to a safe and secure food supply that will significantly enhance the teaching, research and outreach programs in food safety and biosecurity at MSU. This multi-disciplinary position will interface with the Departments of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural Engineering and Packaging. The science, engineering and technology focus of this position will be in aligned with the mission of the National Food Science and Toxicology Center. The tenure home of this position will be negotiated based on the background and interests of the candidate and the needs of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The incumbent to this position will be abreast of current food safety and biosecurity concerns and provide leadership in coordination of program activities. This position will also greatly enhance the recruitment and retention of graduate students and scholars in food safety and biosecurity programs. An Endowed Chair in Food Safety and Biosecurity will work across departments and colleges to expand MSU's capacity in these areas.

Endowed Eminent Scholar Program in Biological Engineering This endowment would provide $50,000 annually to attract internationally renowned scholars to spend sabbatical leaves in the department. This program will continue to invigorate the Biosystems Engineering faculty and students on a regular basis.

Endowed faculty research/outreach support This fund will support faculty to conduct cutting edge research and develop outreach programs in critical areas within the broad field of biological engineering and technology. These funds will also be used as start-up packages for newly hired faculty in the Department.

Endowed student enhancement fellowship Students, both undergraduate and graduate, are integral part of the Department's teaching and research program. These funds will be used to attract and retain high quality students by providing fellowships and assistantships. We also recognize that a significant part of student learning takes place outside the classroom. These funds will be utilized to support student travel to scholastic competitions, field trips, and technical/professional conferences.

Endowed teaching/research laboratories Well-equipped teaching/research laboratories are critical in the transition from agricultural to biological engineering. The current laboratories are inadequate to conduct cutting-edge research in areas such as food safety, bio-based products, and bio-sensors for food safety and security. Several naming opportunities exist.