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RESEARCH FACILITIES
Several
major laboratories are available for use. A fiber quality lab
is available for analysis of natural fibers, including Instron
black/white and color machine vision systems, as well as a pilot
scale bast fiber plant. The agricultural/chemical/biological lab
contains a total organic carbon analyzer, gas chromatography,
atomic absorption spectrometer, fluorescence spectrometer, UV-vis
diode array spectrometer, anaerobic chamber, and precision scales.
The biotechnology laboratory contains equipment for fermentations
and supercritical fluid extractions as well as a state-of-the-art
biotechnology analytical lab (with HPLC capabilities) for conducting
mammalian/plant/microbial cell culture for nutraceutical and biopharmaceutical
production. A partitioned aquaculture system (PAS) is also used
for algae growth studies, fish production, and eutrophication
studies. Within the aquaculture facilities, an environmentally
controlled greenhouse is available for mariculture studies. A
machine shop for metal/wood fabrication is also available. Electromagnetic
terrain conductivity meters, auto-weather stations, various environmental
sensors, ISCO samplers, depth gages, and flumes are also available
in the natural resources laboratory. As a land-grant University,
several Research and Education Centers are available throughout
the state for plant/animal/environmental/natural resources research.
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| RESEARCH
AREAS
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Bioprocessing/Applied Biotechnology.
Bioprocessing refers to the biological production of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical compounds, biomaterials and biofuels by a variety of natural and modified microorganisms, such as filamentous fungi, bacteria, yeasts, mammalian cells and algae. Agricultural residues, such as by-products of sugar cane, rice or corn processing, or dedicated biomass crops, such as corn, switchgrass or hybrid poplar, may be used as the feedstocks for a bioconversion process. This area includes bioreactor design, determination of microbial growth, decay and product formation rates, mathematical modeling of bioprocessing unit operations, and advanced extraction technologies such supercritical fluid extraction.
Faculty: Brune, Dodd,
Drapcho,
Walker.
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Natural Resources/Environment. Approximately one half of the faculty
members have research interests in this area. These interests
include liquid/solid separation techniques; biological treatment;
beneficial use of nutrients in organic waste; spent scrubber as
soil additives; controlled eutrophication systems; treatment/remediation
of wastewater associated with aquaculture systems; bioretention
cell development for stormwater quality/quantity control; best
management practices for erosion and stormwater control; hydrologic
modeling; groundwater pollution; soil salination; removal of nutrient
rich water; biosystems for energy production; nutrient recycling
and biomass production; biogeochemical impacts of changing land
use on watersheds; natural attenuation of non-point source pollutants
in biogeochemical systems; and fate, transport, and bio-availability
of toxic heavy metals in urban watersheds.
Faculty: Brune,
Chastain,
Drapcho,
Hayes, Hitchcock, Jayakaran, Owino , Privette , Sawyer
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Agriculture. The faculty members listed below have research interests
in this area. These interests include precision agriculture technology;
variable depth tillage; instrumentation, control, and sensor development;
irrigation design, scheduling, and forecasting; modeling bacteria
growth; site-specific pest management; integrating crop models
with GIS; aquaculture production systems; animal/plant systems;
farm safety and health; engineering applications in turf grass;
natural fiber production/development/testing; and air quality
in agricultural facilities.
Faculty:
Allen,
Chastain,
Dodd, Han,
Khalilian.
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