Student Organizations Update

Graduate Student Association

President: Angelika Ouedraogo

Advisor: Kiranmayi Mangalgiri

The BAE-GSA at Oklahoma State University supports departmental graduate students in professional development, building community, and identifying solutions for and offering a voice to unique challenges that we face in pursuing our graduate degrees. We presented our activities and officers to our professional society members during the annual OK section meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) in April.

We had a nice cohort of graduate students who attended the Annual International Meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) in Houston, TX this past July. In preparation for the professional meeting, we hosted an all-day mini-conference for student participants to practice their presentations and get constructive feedback from faculty and their peers. We enhanced our oral communication skills, learned more about the work taking place in the department, as well as eating very well that day!

To jump-start the Fall semester and get to know the new faces better, BAE graduate students and post-doctoral research fellows enjoyed a bonding dinner at Hideaway Pizza. For Halloween, GSA held a department-wide party in the graduate student office. The party included a pumpkin carving contest, spin the wheel and a movie night. We are looking forward to Spring semester and creating new and exciting activities with our new officers initiated for 2022-2023: Vice President: Kasra Khodkar; Treasurer: Navdeep Saasan; Secretary: Nathaniel Bolujoko; GPSGA Officer: Chijioke Leonard Nkwocha and Dabira Ogunbiyi

Cowboy Motorsports

Director: Seth Stone Advisor: John Long

The Cowboy Motorsports team designs, fabricates, and promotes a unique tractor for the annual International 1/4 scale (IQS) tractor competition sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). With members from all majors, the team comes together to develop their skills in design, manufacturing, interdisciplinary teamwork, marketing, accounting, written and oral communication. This real-world experience continues to challenge members in ways that are not easily achieved in the classroom. Beyond preparation for the competition, in 2022 Cowboy Motorsports participated in community service activities with Into-the-Streets, executed the annual lawnmower clinic, and was active in Homecoming week making contributions to the Sign Competition, the Harvest Carnival, offering the pulled pork sandwich fundraiser at WalkAround and running 4 operable 1/4 scale tractors in the Sea of Orange Parade! In addition, the team consistently assists the department with recruitment activities and provided barbeque pulled pork in support of BAE’s first United Way fundraiser! Currently, Cowboy Motorsports is working on the design for their 2023 tractor.

Graduate Students enjoying a bonding dinner at Hideaway.

Cowboy Motorsports at the 2022 Harvest Carnival

Photos: Graduate Student Association, Cowboy Motorsports, Cowboy Waterworks, Alpha Epsilon, & ASABE

Cowboy Waterworks

President: Symantha Cunningham; Past-President: Anthony Corpuz

Advisor: Ali Mirchi

The Cowboy Waterworks team designs and builds a fountain capable of executing multiple tasks through the power of water and control systems to entertain the Fountain Wars hands-on student design competition organized by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). For the 2022 competition, the Cowboy Waterworks team chose school spirit as their aesthetic theme featuring the Boone Pickens stadium. The technical design included rotating rubber ducks while overcoming an elevation difference. They operated on a low budget per the requirements of the design competition guidelines. The Cowboy Waterworks team placed 1st nationally during the competition in July 2022 in Houston, Texas! The team is currently working hard on their 2023 Fountain Wars fountain, which will compete at the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Nebraska this coming July.

Alpha Epsilon

President: Addie Duling

Advisor: Danielle Bellmer

Alpha Epsilon is the honor society for agricultural and biological engineers, recognizing upper division undergraduate and graduate students with outstanding scholarly achievement and qualities in character and leadership. The engineering honor society initiated seven new members in Spring 2022 and participated in university activities throughout the Fall semester. Alpha Epsilon was paired with ASABE for the Homecoming Sign Competition and Harvest Carnival games and chili cook off. In addition, we participated in the window painting competition and painted images of the four different Biosystem Engineering major options (Bioprocessing and Food Processing, Machine Systems and Agricultural Engineering, Pre-Med and Enviromental and Natural Resources, as well as our new major, Agricultural Systems Technology. At the end of the year, Alpha Epsilon joined in the Ferguson Christmas Tree decorating competition. Our tree’s theme was “Keys to Success” with the tree covered in keys with the different words that represent a definition of success. This Spring Semester, Alpha Epsilon will resume hosting the Biosystems Olympics.

ASABE

President: Gavin McCullough

Advisors: Jessie Mao and Kevin Moore

The ASABE student club kicked the 2022-2023 school year off with a back-to-school picnic at Couch Park. This allowed new ASABE members to interact with their peers and others in the department. ASABE held biweekly meetings hosting speakers from NRC, Kimley-Horn, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the BAE senior class where students shared their career and professional experiences. Outside of professional development and networking, ASABE members participated in civic and social activities throughout the semester, including Harvest Carnival, Homecoming Sign Competition and Window Painting, Into the Streets, and Dean’s Volleyball. In addition, ASABE sold BAE departmental apparel as a fundraiser, where pokes could purchase hats, polos, and pullovers through an online store. We also helped Cowboy Motorsports sell pulled-pork sandwiches at OSU’s Homecoming Walkaround. In the coming months, ASABE members are gearing up to host the annual Student Awards Banquet.

Cowboy Waterworks with their first place fountain design at ASABE in Houston, TX.

Dr. Kevin Moore and students enjoying the backto-school picnic

Addie Duling and Kennerly Holloway with the “Keys to Success” tree that Alpha Epsilon created for the Ferguson Christmas tree decorating competition.