Summary of Engineering Research

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Agricultural Engineering
L. E. Bode, Head
338 Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building, 1304 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801-4797
217-333-3570 • http://www.age.uiuc.edu

Principles from many scientific and engineering disciplines are applied to address opportunities and problems of agricultural production, processing, and utilization. Food and agribusiness industries account directly or indirectly for more than 20 percent of the U.S. Gross National Product and are the world's largest industries. Illinois is ranked second nationally in the value of food processed and fifth in total value of agricultural products.

The research program areas of the department include environmental protection of air, soil, and water resources; bioenvironmental engineering of plant and animal production facilities; off-road power and machinery design; and food and process engineering. Alternative energy technologies, such as ethanol, biomass conversion, solar, vegetable oil, and agricultural waste utilization, continue to be explored along with efficient management of conventional energy sources. More cooperation with industries that purchase, transport, process, and package agricultural commodities has broadened the scope of agricultural engineering research, especially in the development of monitoring sensors and process control systems using machine vision and other sensors. Research aimed at improving performance and reducing cost at all levels of production with minimal environmental impact is receiving considerable attention in an attempt to keep U.S. agricultural products competitive in the world market. Additionally, new markets, new products, and new uses are being sought for overly abundant agricultural commodities.

Geographically located in an area of intense agricultural production, with access to good transportation facilities and surrounded by a large concentration of agricultural and industrial equipment manufacturers and food processors, the department is in an enviable position to serve all areas of the agricultural community. Many agricultural engineering graduates, educated and trained in the University of Illinois' Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building with modern teaching facilities and research laboratories, are employed throughout the nation. Interaction and cooperation with these graduates and other alumni scattered throughout the world help maintain a viable, useful research program.