I am currently the department head of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University, and started my new responsibilities and role in January 2021. Prior to joining Oklahoma State, I was a Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University and had established a well-recognized research program in development of integrated biomass production and conversion systems for biofuels and bioproducts since joining that faculty in 2003. I completed my BS (1998) in Biological Systems Engineering at UC Davis and earned my MS (2000) and PhD (2003) in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Kentucky. I have led and collaborated on several multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional projects securing over $11.5 million dollars in funding prior to 2021 and supported an active team of research associates, post-doctoral scholars, graduate students, and undergraduate researchers. I provided instruction for undergraduate and graduate education and through academic, research, and student organization advising have mentored students on the importance of professional development, leadership, teamwork, interpersonal communication, life-long learning, and commitment to civic service. As an extension of my research activities, I engaged in multiple outreach opportunities with constituencies outside the university including local, regional, national and international stakeholders.

Research Interests:

I continue to support a well-recognized, functioning program in biological engineering with an emphasis in bioprocessing and bioproducts that integrates both lab and field operations and is relevant, dynamic and engaging to the constituents within the southeastern US, nationally and in some cases internationally. My research program involves the production of biofuels and value-added products from renewable biomass and I have initiated projects as the lead PI that range from basic to applied research and that encompass a number of different bioprocess engineering expertise areas, including aerobic and anaerobic fermentation technology, enzymatic hydrolysis, extraction, analytical and near-infrared spectrophotometric method development, gasification, reactor design, instrumentation and control, biomass harvest, storage and scale-up operations. I have experience assembling multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research teams and developing large grants to address bioenergy and energy sustainability challenges related to biomass feedstock improvement, biomass production and supply chain development, biofuel and bioproducts processing, on-farm systems, and environmental, economic and life cycle impact of bioenergy systems. My experience and training in engineering, and the life and agricultural sciences has allowed me to effectively interface with ag/life scientists and engineers, identify unique opportunities for collaboration and synthesize innovative directions to solve real problems. The applied aspects of my research program have given me broad perspectives in engaging stakeholders and farmers while appreciating their needs in the development of useful solutions and technologies. In addition to research, many of the large proposals I have led and participated in involve development of educational and extension programming.