Highlights from the 2024 ASABE North Central Regional Meeting
On April 11 and 12, 2024, the ASABE North Central Regional Meeting took place in Brookings, South Dakota, marking a significant event after 25 years of inactivity from the South Dakota ASABE Chapter. This unique meeting was a collaborative effort involving programs from three esteemed schools: North Dakota State University (NDSU), South Dakota State University (SDSU), and the University of Minnesota (UMN).
WASABE President Dana Porter graced the event as the keynote speaker, delivering an inspiring speech that left a lasting impact on the audience. Her speech, delivered during the evening of April 11, followed a series of facility tours that began at 12:30 PM. Attendees had the opportunity to explore four different sites: the Volga soybean plant, Poet Bio Products, South Dakota MESONET, and a livestock facility in Tea, South Dakota.
The meeting catered to a diverse audience, including a wide range of industry professionals, students, researchers, and government stakeholders. Participants presented their work under four categories: Natural Resource and Environmental Systems (NRES), Information Technology Sensors and Control Systems (ITSC), Plant and Animal Facility Systems (PAFS), and Applied Engineering Systems (AES). Over 50 graduate students from the three schools participated, showcasing their research and innovations, truly reflecting the broad scope of the event.
One of the most inspiring moments was the celebration of milestones by the NDSU ABE Department, which is commemorating its 100th anniversary, while the SDSU ABE program is set to celebrate its centennial in 2025. This added a layer of historical significance to the event, emphasizing the longstanding contributions of these institutions to the field of agricultural and biological engineering, and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
The meeting saw an impressive turnout of 98 registered participants, including 32 from SDSU, 28 from NDSU, 23 from UMN, 1 from Iowa State University, and 14 industrial partners, such as USDA NRCS, De Haan, Grabs & Associates, Lange Ag Systems, and Raven Industries. The event was a testament to the unwavering support from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and its president, Dr. Dana Porter.
The program on April 12, 2024, commenced with registration at 7:30 AM, followed by oral presentation sessions focusing on NRES, PFAS, and ITSC. The morning sessions featured student presenters who showcased their research. A poster session in the afternoon highlighted over 35 student posters, followed by an Industry Update Panel facilitated by Dr. Leon Schumacher. The panel included speakers like Karla Pederson from C-Lock Inc., who shared insights from her experience in Ireland, and other industry experts from 701X, Raven Industries, and USDA NRCS. The audience also heard from SDSU’s two-year reigning Quarter Scale champions and students from the JATEC (an undergraduate ASABE club), ABE Graduate Student Association at SDSU, and ASABE YPC—who delivered concise presentations. The department heads from the three schools shared department updates and answered questions from the audience.
Attendees easily accessed the comprehensive program schedule via a QR code, promoting sustainability and deploying technology to navigate the sessions and discussions seamlessly. As the meeting progressed, the closing ceremony on April 12 rewarded the best oral and poster presentations in each category, celebrating the participants' hard work and innovation. The event served as a conduit for public-private partnerships, university collaborations, knowledge sharing, and professional networking, fostering the development of young professionals and seasoned researchers.
Looking ahead, the expectation is to see increased ASABE engagement at the local level, including more schools from the North Central region and provinces of Canada joining future regional meetings. The ASABE SD Chapter, revitalized after years of dormancy, now stands proud, hosting a successful and memorable event that paved the way for future collaborations and advancements in the field.
The 2024 ASABE North Central Regional Meeting was a resounding success. It brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to exchange knowledge, celebrate milestones, and forge new partnerships. The meeting underscored the importance of regional meetings in fostering collaboration and networking, proving that they offer just as much, if not more, than the Annual International Meetings.
We've captured all of the program details and invite you to learn more!
The author is assistant professor and SDSU Extension water resource engineer specialist, South Dakota State University.