Speakers
Van Kelley, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D.
Dr. Van Kelley has served as head of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department at South Dakota State University since 2000. During his tenure as department head, research expenditures have more than doubled. The faculty and graduate students are conducting research projects to lower the cost of our nation's energy supply while adding value to agricultural products. Two patent disclosures were filed in the past three months. One is related to producing a liquid fuel similar to gasoline directly from biomass such as switch grass. The other patent disclosure was made by an undergraduate student working with a faculty member supported by Governor Rounds' 2010 Center for Bioprocessing Research and Development. The discovery has the potential to significantly lower the cost of producing ethanol.
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering faculty are actively engaged in developing cost-effective techniques for production agriculture that also improve our environment. Recent and ongoing research projects have addressed manure application, livestock odor emissions, feedlot runoff water, and water losses of large tracts of land during the growing season.
Dr. Kelley received a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University, a master's degree from New Mexico State University, and a doctorate degree from the University of Illinois. He is a registered professional engineer in South Dakota and has served on engineering accreditation review teams at four major universities. He has been at SDSU for the past 31 years.
Learn more about Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at SDSU.