From the Executive Director
 President Dana Porter and I were honored to take part in the University of Florida Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department’s centennial celebration last week in Gainesville. The festivities began with a networking reception and BBQ dinner at the Austin Cary Forest Campus, and an inspiring talk by retired UF women’s soccer coach and legend Becky Burleigh. The next morning, Kati Migliaccio, department chair and professor, led the ceremonies, which concluded with Dana and me presenting her with a plaque commemorating the milestone. Be sure to watch the very well done ABE 100 Year Culmination video. Before we left, Kati gave us a tour of the department and we observed firsthand all the exciting research that will take them into the next 100 years. Congratulations UF ABE on a centennial celebration for the ages!
The ASABE elected leadership values participating in events like the UF centennial. If your department, company, section or chapter has an upcoming event, please think of us and send an invitation. We’ll do our very best to send one of the leaders.
ASABE’s Alliance for Modernizing African Agrifood Systems (AMAA) planning committee has been working hard on the upcoming conference, summit, and technology event titled: “Imagining African Agrifood Systems – Looking Forward.” For a number of reasons, the planning committee made the difficult decision to make this a fully virtual event. The great news is that this will make it easier for people from all over the world to participate. Click here for registration details.
Darrin J. Drollinger
Executive Director
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Join us in California for #ASABE24!
Find all available details on the meeting website,
Call for Abstracts is Open
Get involved at the meeting by presenting in one of more than 120 technical sessions. Submit now through January 20 for your opportunity to present at AIM and include your corresponding meeting paper in the Technical Library.
Get Involved!
Member involvement drives the success of our meetings. Here are some ways that you can get involved:
- Contact one of the Technical Community program chairs, find out if they are still looking for session moderators.
- Attend one of the several committee meetings. All are open door. Find one that fits your interests! (Posted in the spring.)
- Host a Continuing Professional Development Course. Have a specified skill that you think others could benefit from? Fill out the form here.
- Have a great location for a tour? Let us know! Be the host and fill out this form.
- Are you the chair of your special interest community? Host a social or a business meeting. Contact Jessica Bell to learn more.
- Be a sponsor or exhibitor. We have some great options available!
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Ballot Proposal Would Add Fifth Council
Following a successful petition presented at the Society’s annual business meeting, held at this year’s annual meeting, a proposal with significant implications for the Society will be included with this year’s leadership ballot.
The proposal would add a fifth council, for strategic initiatives, to ASABE’s organizational structure, which currently includes Membership, Meetings, Standards and Technical, and Publications councils. The purpose of the new council is to promote “initiatives and partnerships that include multiple communities by providing oversight to and periodically evaluating existing initiatives as well as exploring opportunities for new strategic initiatives.”
Watch for details about the proposal to be published in coming months, both in this newsletter and in Resource magazine.
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Giving Back Fund Welcomes Proposals
ASABE members have servants' hearts and can often be found sharing their engineering expertise with vulnerable communities. If you're engaged in or considering a humanitarian engineering project that could benefit from financial support, the Giving Back fund can help. The fund exists to showcase the expertise and impact of agricultural and biological engineers.
Submissions are due to ASABE headquarters by December 31 of each year.
Contact Dolores Landeck for additional information.
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Students Honored for Outstanding Oral/Poster Presentations
Congratulations to all of the finalists of the ASABE Student Oral/Poster Presentation Competition, held during the 2023 Annual International Meeting. Each finalist received a $250 prize check. Find more information on the competition online.
Applied Science and Engineering
Naomi Pitts, “Improving the Hydrological Resilience of Storm Water Control Measures Using PCSWMM”
Education, Outreach and Professional Development
Travis Johnson, “Project-Based Learning in Project Management: A Comparison to Conceptual-Based Instruction”
Energy Systems
Sena Atsyo, “Effects of Anatomical Origin and Moisture Contents in Friction between Corn Stover Particles”
Manish Sakhakarmy, “Comparative Study on Pyrolysis of Douglas Fir, Eucalyptus, and Poplar for Novolac Production”
Lillian Lower, “Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Lemnaceae for Biogas Production”
Julia Cunniffe, “Co-Production of a Crystalline Cellulose Material and Biofuels from CRISPR-Edited Biomass”
Ergonomics, Safety, and Health
Sarah Tucker, “Agricultural Injury Surveillance and Assessment of Needs for Health and Environmental Monitoring for Rural First Responders During Agriculture Emergencies”
Information Technology, Sensors, and Controls
Sharif Shabani, “Development of a Ground-Based Robotic Platform Towards Automated Inventory for Precision Forest Nursery Management”
Fitsum Teshome, “Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-Based Imaging and Machine Learning for Sweet Corn Plant Phenotyping"
Dawood Ahmed, “Machine Vision-Based Early-Season Crop-Load Estimation Using YOLOv8”
Nitin Rai, “Assessing the Best Augmentation Approach for Weed Detection in Aerial Images Using Convolutional Neural Networks”
McKensie Nelms, “Tomato Flower Detection and Three-Dimensional Mapping for Precision Pollination”
Ching-Kuang Chen, “An Automated Online Learning Framework for Insect Pest Image Classification Model Enhancement”
Machinery Systems
Coleman Byers, “Spray Performance Evaluation of DJI Agras T30 UAS Sprayer at Different Application Parameters”
Israel Ojo, “Automated Injection System for Therapeutic Materials Using Nonpassive, Needle-Based Trunk Injection to Treat HLB-Affected Citrus Trees”
Natural Resources and Environmental Systems
Matthew Chaffee, “Monitoring Temporal Chlorophyll Using Sentinel-2 Imagery in an Urban Retention Pond Receiving a Biological-Chemical Treatment”
Heather White, “Modeling the Potential Influence of Subsurface Tile Drainage Systems on Downstream Flooding in Skunk Creek Watershed”
Basavaraj Amogi, “Exploring the Suitability of Crop Physiology Sensing System for Apple Canopy Water Stress and Fruit Quality Monitoring”
María Jose Oviedo Ventura, “Impact of Manure and Carbon Application on Sandy Loam Soil Properties”
Swarna Chowdhury, “Evaluating the Influence of Oyster Leases in Estuarine Hydrodynamics: A Numerical Modeling Approach”
Andrew Ortiz, “Automation of On-Farm Method for Visual Quantification of Carbon Degradation in Agricultural Soils”
Sebastian Hawkes, “Analyzing Impacts of Established Wetland Plants on Infiltration in Stormwater Systems and Development of Future Citizen Science Research Methods”
Plant, Animal, and Facilities Systems
Zach Morgan, "Poultryponics: Reclaiming Post-Processing Poultry Wastewater to Produce Hydroponic Greens”
Hanwook Chung, “Development of a Continuous, Low-Power, Wireless Core Body Temperature Monitoring System to Detect Heat Stress of Dairy Cows in Real Time”
Angela George, “Costs, Benefits and Adoption Potential of Manure Storage Cover and Flare Systems on Dairy Farms”
Processing Systems
Xu Zhou, “Why Do Microwaves Heat Oil Faster than Water?” and “Can Solid-State Mcrowave Generators Provide Stable and Predictable Standing Wave Patterns in a Multi-Mode Cavity?”
Reagan Gomez, “Impact of Process Conditions on Purification of Recombinant Human Serum Albumin”
Tosin O. Olanrewaju, “Thermomechanical and Rheological Properties of Distillers’ Spent Grain (DSG-B) from Bourbon Production”
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Major Award Nominations Close October 31
ASABE's major awards honor member achievements and contributions that have shaped the profession and the Society. This year's nomination deadline is quickly approaching: All nominations must be submitted by October 31.
Find a complete list of ASABE Major Awards, nomination requirements, and past winners on the awards page.
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Featured Video
Member Hour: An Introduction to AMAA
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YPC Committees Invite Participation
Enhance your early-career or graduate-school journey with the Young Professionals Community.
YPC has been supporting careers and the Society for more than 20 years. If you're an ASABE member age 34 or younger, you're already a YPC member. Your participation in the group will help drive its success in years to come, and it can help drive yours also, with leadership opportunities, network building, and more.
YPC offers diverse subcommittees tailored to your interests and time commitments. Connect with us to learn more about these engaging opportunities and join a vibrant community focused on your professional growth and networking. Check out this list of committees that would benefit from your input.
Together, let's empower the future of agricultural and biological engineering!
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New Editor in Chief Sought
The search continues for a new editor in chief of ASABE Journals. The EIC oversees the entire peer-review process and provides strategic guidance for ASABE journals. Please see the details and description of the position if you are interested in applying.
Send a cover letter and your curriculum vitae to JournalsEIC@asabe.org. The cover letter should include a description of experiences in journal editorial roles and a vision for the ASABE journals.
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Blue Ribbon Awards
Blue Ribbon Awards are presented each year by ASABE in recognition of outstanding effort and achievement in the development of noteworthy educational materials. If you've produced materials that you believe are worthy of recognition, be sure to submit your entry by January 25, 2024.
For more information, visit the Blue Ribbon Award page.
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Last Call! Submit Your Photos to the Visual Challenge
Here's your final reminder to submit your agricultural and biological engineering images for our annual Visual Challenge by November 1. This is your chance to convey and celebrate the beauty of your work, your research, or your technical community. It's up to you and your camera, so be creative! Submit as many entries as you want. All entries should be original work, and the image resolution must be 300 dpi or greater.
Email your entries, as attachments, to Resource magazine editor Melissa Miller. Please include a title and brief description for each image. If necessary, include a name for crediting the image and written assurance that permission has been granted to submit and possibly publish the image. The best images will be selected by ASABE staff and published in the January/February 2024 issue of Resource. Good luck!
Have fun! We'd love to see what you do!
Check out the winning entries from previous Visual Challenges.
Photo: 2023 Visual Challenge entry, courtesy ASABE Member Ekramul Haque Ehite
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Students, Educators Enjoy Complimentary Access to Select ISO Standards
As the U.S. member body of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ANSI has been authorized to provide, upon request, complimentary access for students and faculty to selected standards currently available in the ISO collection. Certain standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) may also be made available upon request.
These collections are comprised of nearly 20,000 standards, which can be made available to U.S. faculty and students in all disciplines in institutions of higher learning throughout the United States. More information can be found online.
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NIST Seeks Input on Technical Standards
 The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information on behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Government to support the development of an implementation plan for the United States Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (USG NSSCET).
The intent of the plan is to promote innovation and national security without disrupting business operations. They aim to strike a balance between government involvement and a private sector-led international standards system while addressing a wide range of technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, blockchain and clean energy, through coordinated efforts and public input.
Comments may be submitted until November 6.
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NABEC Convenes in Guelph
 The Delta Hotel and Conference Center in Guelph, Ontario, hosted NABEC 2023 from July 30 to August 2. The conference attracted 102 attendees, including students, professionals, and their families. The technical sessions on Monday and Tuesday featured 66 oral and poster presentations on various topics of agricultural engineering. Among them, 17 oral and 22 poster presentations competed for the graduate student awards. The winners of the top three places in each category were recognized with certificates and cash prizes. The conference also included an undergraduate paper and design competition, where students from the Pennsylvania State University and The Ohio State University showcased their team projects. Ohio State won the first place in design, while Penn State University secured the first and second places in paper competitions. The winning teams also received certificates and cash prizes.
The event also featured presentations from two distinguished experts who shared their insights on the emerging fields of digital agriculture and food engineering. They discussed how these technologies can enhance productivity, sustainability, and quality in the food system, as well as the challenges and opportunities they pose for the future.
Meeting Highlights
 Monday, the first day of technical presentations, concluded with a pleasant picnic at the Arboretum, where the participants mingled among the natural beauty of the University of Guelph Campus. Tuesday, the second day of technical presentations featured an awards banquet in the evening that celebrated the achievements of the students who received prizes for their presentations. The banquet also recognized the 2023 Young Engineer of the Year, Cibin Raj, from Penn State University, and the 2023 Distinguished Service recipient, Daniel Ciolkosz, also from Penn State University. In addition, the banquet honored the Milestone members for their long-term commitment and contributions to the field.
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Tech Library Tool Benefits Authors and Readers Alike
Did you know about this handy little tool in our Technical Library?
On each article "abstract" web page, a list of related articles is displayed below the social media icons. On the left, articles are from ASABE journals. On the right, articles from other journals. Find an example on this page.
In turn, other participating journal websites will display our related content. This feature, powered by TrendMD, will help authors more quickly find what they need and is expected to increase total pageviews. Access the article abstract page by selecting the "Free Abstract" link in the search results.
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Remembering Evelyn Rosentreter: A Legacy of Excellence
 The world of agricultural and biological engineering lost a true luminary with the passing of Evelyn Rosentreter, an exceptional individual whose dedication and contributions to the Society's standardization program left an indelible mark. Her legacy will extend far beyond her lifetime, through the prestigious ASABE Rosentreter Award, which bears her name.
Rosentreter was part of the ASABE staff from July 1966 to April 1995. ASABE staff remembers her as dedicated and fastidious in her work. During her time at ASABE, the Standards program took steps to become a formal part of ANSI and published the first ASABE Standard to be recognized as an American National Standard. The eponymous Rosentreter Award, which she established, will continue to honor those who follow in her footsteps, leading the way to provide tools for the continually evolving agricultural and biological engineering field.
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AMAA Conference, Summit & Technology Show
Imagining African Agrifood Systems — Looking Forward
November 14–17, 2023
VIRTUAL
Registration is ongoing for the first Alliance for Modernizing African Agrifood (AMAA) Systems event. The Imagining African Agrifood Systems Conference has been converted to a fully virtual meeting in effort to be accessible to everyone that is interested in attending.
For a listing of session topics and more details, visit the event page.
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2024 AETC – Back to Louisville!
2024 Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference
February 11–14, 2024
Louisville, Kentucky
Registration is now available at the early bird savings until January 7. Details on the program, registration, student activities, sponsorship options, and more can be found online.
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New Additions to the ASABE Technical Library
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Open Access Articles, Special Collection Articles, New Journal Issues
Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health
Visit the JASH homepage
Applied Engineering in Agriculture
Visit the Applied homepage
Journal of the ASABE 66(5)
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Recent Standards Activities
Proposed Projects
- X625.2, Drawbar Pin Dimensions and Requirements for Towing Machine with Clevis
Press Releases
- October 5, 2023, ASABE to Develop Standard for Targeted Spray
- October 10, 2023, ASABE Begins Work to Revise Standard for Drawbar Pins
- October 17, 2023, ASABE Establishes New ISO-Linked Committee on Data, Agriculture, and Food
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