A Message from Dr. Chinn Just in time for Homecoming...
This time of year is always full of mixed emotions. Approaching the middle of the semester, the newness and excitement of another academic year starts to fade as we hit our stride. Celebrating student, staff and faculty achievements, awards and recognitions while immersing ourselves in the joy, strain and satisfaction that comes from the hustle and bustle of getting things done becomes a part of our everyday. Soon we welcome our cowboy family, alumni and friends back to campus to reengage and remember the people and places that helped shape who we are. I am blessed to experience all of this first hand. The department has many successes and feel-good stories to be thankful for and some of those are shared in this most recent volume of the “BAE Update”. As you read and browse through the newsletter you will take in a recap of our highlights from the year 2025 and the spring semester of 2026 and possibly be pleased by some things that we had not yet shared through our wildly amazing social media posts! We made moves to strengthen our machine systems programming and mesonet outreach presence and content when we welcomed Dr. Bob Zeng and Mr. Aaron Long into the department. Read more about these two innovative and highly driven individuals in the new faces section of this communication. Our faculty continue to make big splashes in water resources through large research and technology development projects, recognition with international awards and delivery of meaningful outreach programs that support the needs of our agricultural production stakeholders. Read more about these scholarly accomplishments in several of our featured articles. Our students consistently impress me with their intelligence, creativity, hard work, engagement and leadership talents. Some of their activities and several who have earned meritorious awards are mentioned throughout the pages of the newsletter. Included is the special acknowledgment of family ties to our beloved Dr. John Solie and his grandchildren that have elevated our BAE department and programs during their time spent at OSU—legacy moments we cherish. Collectively, our students, alumni and faculty are dedicating their time to serving our nation and our profession. I am extremely proud of these individuals and the broader impacts they have in making a positive difference in the lives of others. Enjoy learning more about their stories in this newsletter. These past few years also mark something unique and distinctive regarding the leadership in our professional society the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). I have had the privilege to serve on the ASABE Board of Trustees and Foundation Board of Trustees alongside our emeritus faculty member Carol Jones. And the remarkable part is that in the last six years three of the ASABE Presidents have been and currently are our very own OSU BAE alumni. Read more about their journeys and commitment to the profession in the pages that follow. In the spirit of their leadership and our responsibility to our profession I am excited to observe all the ways we can act to promote, support and enhance the visibility of biosystems and agricultural engineers and technologists while showcasing the value of our skills and expertise. I’ve witnessed how our BAE family and friends show up for each other in ways that always surprise me— your commitments, communications, long distance drives and flights, generous gifts and extra efforts to be present and available bring me immense joy and pride. Thank you for answering the call, staying connected and investing in our future growth and transformation. Be well and Go Pokes! Sincerely, Mari S. Chinn Head, Department of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University 2
Table of Contents 2025-2026 Events A Message from Dr. Chinn
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BAE Data Impressions
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New Faces
5
BAE Featured Against All Odds A Legacy Etched in Stone
ASABE Board Visit Tuesday, November 11, 2025
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BAE Advisory Committee Meeting Friday, December 5, 2025
Dreaming Bigger and Bluer than the Sky 18 20
BAE Awarded
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Senior Design 2025-2026
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Graduates 2025
25
Graduates 2026
26
Student Organization’s Updates
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Department Happenings 30
Faculty and Staff in the News
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Student Awards
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Friends of Biosystems and Agricultural 35 Engineering Coming this fall to BAE: Honoring Dr. Ron Noyes with the CEAT Hall of Fame induction, November 6-7, 2026
Coming this fall to BAE: Cowboy Motorsports debuts new trailer
ASABE Student Rally Fayetteville, Ark. Saturday, March 14, 2026 Cowboy Motorsports Lawn Mower Clinic Friday, March 27, 2026 ASABE Oklahoma Section Meeting Norman, Okla. Friday, April 10, 2026 ASABE Student Awards Banquet Saturday April 18, 2026 BAE Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, April 23, 2026 Senior Design Presentations and Expo
New Faculty and Staff Awards
BAE 2025-2026 Advisory Committee
America’s Greatest Homecoming Saturday October 18, 2025
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OSU Awarded $2 million for 10 Multidisciplinary Project OSU Assists in the Search for Sustainable 12 Irrigation Solutions From Past to Presidents 14 From Research to Reality
ASABE Welcome Back Picnic Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Biosystems Engineers
Friday, April 24, 2026 BAE Showcase
Agricultural Systems Technologists and Biosystems Engineers
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 Order of the Engineer Induction Ceremony Tuesday May 5, 2026
Graduate Commencement and Agricultural Systems Technology Undergraduate Commencement Friday May 8, 2026 Biosystems Engineering Undergraduate Commencement Saturday May 9, 2026 ASABE Annual International Meeting Indianapolis, Indiana July 12-15, 2026 3
BAE Data Impressions
New BAE Faces Bob Zeng Dr. Bob Zeng joined the BAE facuty as an Associate Professor in late 2025. His research and teaching appointments will focus on mechanical systems and heavy equipment, primarily in the unique Digital Twins simulation space. Dr. Zeng’s work explores the bridge between theory and application, including in depth modeling on how machines interact with soil, crops, and biological systems to improve performance, while also improving efficiency. His research and teaching strategy encourages students to develop strong engineering and technical foundations, while also enhancing their scientific communcation and industry problem-solving skills.
Derek Owen Derek Owen joined the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering research shop team in March 2026. Originally from Mulhall, Oklahoma, Derek’s background includes being an Air Force mechanic and working with Oklahoma State University’s Facilities Maintenance department. Derek studied manufacturing technology at Meridian Tech, bringing a wide variety of skills and expertise to the research lab.
Aaron Long Aaron Long joined BAE as the Mesonet Ag Program Specialist in July of 2026. Aaron has been with the Oklahoma State family for some time, completing his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education and working for the university in multiple capacities, including with the landscape and irrigation management program. Aaron recently completed his service with the Oklahoma National Guard after 8 years. In his new role, he will engage with Oklahoma producers regarding weather based products and decision making tools, as well as data based resources.
Coming Together In Celebration
Nowruz March 2025
ASABE Student Chapter Back to School Picnic August 2025
Retirements and End of the Year Celebration December 2025 5
BAE Featured
Against All Odds As juniors at Oklahoma State University and with a baby on the way, Connor Colby and his wife, Maliah, had to make some tough decisions about their future. Looking for stability, Colby turned to his country for support, he said. His father, Brian Colby, serves in the U.S. Air Force, following generations of me before him. “I have never endorsed the military or pushed any of my children to join,” Brian Colby said. “When Connor called me, I asked him if he had been talking to his brother.” Independent of one another, Connor Colby and his younger brother, Jake, called their father on the same day to say they wanted to join the Air Force. Brian recommended they enlist in the Air National Guard, he said. To remain on track to graduate in Spring 2025, Connor Colby completed basic training in Fall 2023, followed by three months of technical training. Majoring in biosystems engineering with a pre-medical focus and a passion for electronics, Connor Colby spent his three months of technical training learning avionics. Avionics refers to the electronic systems used in aviation. As an avionics technician, Connor Colby designs, programs, and maintains the electrical systems in aircraft. When Connor Colby left for basic training, his and Maliah’s son, Cayson, was 2 months old. Maliah Colby, a full-time student in business administration, moved her studies online to stay on track for graduation in Spring 2025. After completing his technical training, Connor Colby hoped to push his two months of onthe-job training until Summer 2023, he said, so he could continue his education at OSU. However, plans changed. Faced with this challenge, Connor Colby asked his professors to work with him, he added. “When I got the call to do on-the-job training, I weighed postponing my studies a semester, but to continue my current degree plan, I would have had to wait another year to do the prerequisite courses,” Connor Colby said. “Otherwise, I would have to take my yearlong capstone class at the same time. I did not want to sacrifice a year for a semester’s worth of work.” He had four classes to complete during the Spring 2023 semester to graduate on time. To 6
devise a plan, Connor Colby worked with his academic adviser, Kevin Moore, OSU biosystems and agricultural engineering assistant professor. After Connor Colby communicated his dilemma to his professors and with Moore advocating for him, his professors agreed to publish their lectures and homework online. Some of the classes Connor Colby took also had a laboratory component. At 9 p.m. on the night Connor Colby could drop all his classes and get a full refund, he received a call from the biosystems and agricultural engineering department head, Mari Chinn. Although supportive, Chinn wanted to ensure he would be successful, he said, so they discussed allowing him to fulfill 40 hours a week in Tulsa and only be in class one day a week to complete his in-person work. Connor Colby told Chinn this was something he knew he could do. To meet his course requirements, Connor Colby traveled from Tulsa, where he was completing his on-the-job training Monday through Thursday, to Stillwater to finish any lab work on Fridays. Connor Colby then spent the weekends with his wife and son. “Connor had proven to be a dedicated and focused student,” Moore said. “He also did not leverage his situation to gain special treatment. He has worked hard for everything he has ever done.” “He doesn’t complain when challenges arise,” Moore said. “He just works harder.” With his professors and department investing in him, he knew he couldn’t let them down, he said. “It was frustrating to know that my family wasn’t going to have my presence for a lot of the time,” Connor Colby said. “Knowing that my wife was a full-time student and taking care of a kid pretty much by herself because I would only be home on the weekends kind of ate away at me and was just challenging to grapple with.” His frustration and guilt went away with encouragement from his family and teachers, Connor Colby said. The plan took a lot of hard work and dedication. However, no matter how hard it got, failure was not an option, he added. “I have seen him exhausted, but his strong sense of responsibility drives him,” Moore said. Connor Colby kept an open line of communication with not only his professors but also with everyone in his life, he said.
Connor Colby honors his country through duty and discipline and embraces education as a path to greater heights.
By communicating others, they knew the situation, so they could help him. Most of the help he received came as motivation from his family and professors, Connor Colby added. By going through the Air National Guard program, Connor Colby had only three months to meet all the training tasks an active-duty member would have more time to complete, said Master Sgt. Harry Hannah with the U.S. Air National Guard 138th Fighter Wing. Connor Colby’s days were spent completing his training tasks, Hannah added, and he stayed up late at night to finish his homework. Throughout Moore’s career, he has seen many dedicated students, he said, but Connor Colby is dedicated at a higher level in achieving his goals. Though Connor Colby will act like what he did is the same as any other college student, not many would have been able to handle the stress and finish with all A’s, Moore said. “I haven’t been impressed by anyone like him in a long time,” Hannah said. “He has a lot of resilience and guts to pull off what he did in the time that he was completing his training. He came through the struggle without falling apart. That alone is what is impressive about him.” Connor Colby is a prime example of how much a person can accomplish with hard work and a determined mindset, Hannah said.
“Every week, I would tell him that I was proud of him, not because of the things that he has done but because of the person he is on the inside,” Brian Colby said. Story and photo by Hartley Silva | Cowboy Journal Volume 27 Number 2, Summer/Fall 2025
Students in Service
Following her graduation in December of 2025, Camryn Grabeal, another member of Connor Colby’s class also joined the Oklahoma National Guard. Grabeal spoke with the O’Colly to discuss her journey to making the choice to serve, linked below. Since completing basic training, Grabeal has also debuted a podcast on her experience. These two members of the class of 2025 join a large group of BAE alumni, faculty, and staff who have served. Thank you for your service and representation of the Cowboy Code.
Scan here for Camryn’s story, and other features from the O’Colly.
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BAE Featured
A Legacy Etched in Stone
Ethan Stone (left) and Jared Stone pay tribute to their late grandfather, John Solie, and his Cowboy Motorsports legacy.
Fluorescent lights, clanging tools and teamwork at its best. At Oklahoma State University, students spend years learning in classroom environments. For Cowboy Motorsports members, the shop is their classroom. “Cowboy Motorsports is a club where students can get hands-on experiences and learn a variety of skills,” said Ethan Stone, 2025-2026 Cowboy Motorsports president and biosystems engineering junior. Every year, Cowboy Motorsports members work together to design and build a quarter-scale tractor from scratch. Members use a digital software program, Solidworks, to design the tractor from the ground up, Ethan Stone said, adding this is the longest part of the process. Once the tractor design is finished, Ditch Witch donates and cuts the metal needed for the tractor frame. The club is part of the OSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, but students of any major are welcome. Students can join regardless of their prior mechanical or engineering experience. Older and more experienced club members teach the newer members anything they want to learn, whether that is building the tractor itself or skills pertaining to life and leadership, said Derek DeGroot, Cowboy Motorsports 2025-2026 vice president and agricultural systems technology senior. 8
“Last year we had a few members say they had never pulled a trailer before,” DeGroot said. “So we took an afternoon and taught them how to hook up and pull a gooseneck. We’re always happy to teach.” Skills members gain in the club extend further than mechanics. Members learn how to think through processes, problem solve, work in a team and lead others, Ethan Stone said. The team hosts two fundraisers per year. The first is a pulled pork sale during OSU Homecoming. The second is a lawnmower clinic in which community members can bring in their lawnmowers to be serviced. With fundraising support, the club travels to Peoria, Illinois, each June to compete in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International 1/4 Scale Tractor Competition. At the contest, teams from across the nation put their student-built tractors through an intense test of durability, maneuverability and pulling, DeGroot said. Because Cowboy Motorsports is a smaller club, usually around 10 people, members become more of a “family away from family,” Ethan Stone said. The members spend weeks working together to build the tractor and then competing. However, this “family” would not be possible without John Solie, grandfather of brothers Ethan, Jared and Seth Stone. Solie, a former
OSU biosystems and agricultural engineering professor, co-founded Cowboy Motorsports with Emeritus Professor Ron Elliot and the late Marvin Stone, also a former professor in biosystems and agricultural engineering. The professors took the team to their first competition in 1998. “Dr. Stone isn’t related to us, but he worked closely with our grandfather,” Ethan Stone said. The professors wanted to provide students with a unique hands-on learning experience, Ethan Stone said. The goal of Cowboy Motorsports was to give students a chance to use what they learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations, he said. Solie spent time as the club’s adviser, and his involvement continued after he retired. Solie passed away in 2019, but his legacy lives on in the Cowboy Motorsports club today, Ethan Stone said. “When Grandpa was the adviser, Cowboy Motorsports had a tractor with a drive train in it that Cowboy Motorsports designed and patented,” said Jared Stone, 2024-2025 Cowboy Motorsports president and first-year veterinary student. “The three of us brothers have tried to adapt that innovation into tractors we build.” Cowboy Motorsports was a big part of the Stone brothers’ lives from a young age, Jared Stone said, adding they heard a lot about the club while growing up. “I remember going out to the biosystems lab as little kids and playing on the tractors as they were being built,” Jared Stone said. “Where we got started in the club was just going out there with Grandpa.” When the oldest Stone brother, Seth, began school at OSU, he sought a hands-on experience. As a biosystems engineering major, he became the first Stone brother to join the club in 2019. “Cowboy Motorsports fit well with Seth’s major, and he had the support from the biosystems and agricultural engineering department to succeed within the club,” Ethan Stone said. Following in his brother’s footsteps and continuing the Stone legacy, Jared Stone joined the club in 2021. Throughout Jared Stone’s undergraduate journey, his eyes were set on veterinary school, so he approached the club with a different perspective, Jared Stone said. He knew
the club involved problem solving and critical thinking, which he would need for veterinary school, he said. “Most of the time, we come at a problem thinking one way,” Jared Stone said. “With Cowboy Motorsports, we have to come at it multiple different ways and be able to solve problems with what we have. It taught me a different way of thinking.” The youngest Stone brother, Ethan, is continuing the family legacy and joined Cowboy Motorsports in 2023. Like his oldest brother, he is also a biosystems engineering major. For Ethan Stone, the club is more than just applying what he learns in the classroom. “What sticks with me the most are the skills I have built,” Ethan Stone said. “It’s not just the designing and building of the tractor but also being able to improvise and adapt to unforeseen challenges.” Members put these improvisation skills to work at the 2025 competition, Ethan Stone said. Toward the end of the competition, the rear axle on the team’s tractor broke. “We had to think through the process carefully as a team,” Ethan Stone said. “It obviously was not what we wanted to happen, but we all came together as a club to evaluate how to address the situation.” The team did not win, but they learned a lot along the way, he added. From the initial creation to now, Cowboy Motorsports and the Stone family continues to impact students and shape them to be leaders, Ethan Stone said. “The drive to keep pushing is just something that’s in our family,” Jared Stone said. “We want to continue building the legacy of always being willing to teach others and try something new.” Story and photo by Baylee Smith | Cowboy Journal Volume 28 Number 1, Winter/Spring 2026
Keep up with Cowboy Motorsports Follow Cowboy Motorsports on Instagram (@cowboy_motorsports) and keep an eye out for Cowboy Motorsports fundraisers, including the WalkAround pulled pork sandwich station and the annual Lawn Mower clinic in the spring. 9
BAE Featured
OSU awarded $2 million for a multidisciplinary project to create water and energy efficiency for farmers Three land-grant universities are exploring whether producing energy from animal waste and cleaning wastewater can be achieved in one technology system. Three separate types of technologies already exist to: • generate energy by producing methane from animal waste • clean wastewater • recover phosphate from animal waste “They have all existed in their own silos, and scientists are always working to make these systems more efficient and less harmful to the environment,” said Kiranmayi Mangalgiri, assistant professor of water quality in the Oklahoma State University Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Can scientists accomplish this by combining the technologies together? This is the question being asked by a team of researchers from OSU, Kansas State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The project recently received a combined $6 million from the National Science Foundation.
“We are trying to develop one system for agricultural producers to handle their animal waste while also saving energy and water,” Mangalgiri said. “We also want the process to have little to no impact on the environment and create valuable chemicals like hydrogen peroxide.” The goal is to build a system that uses the carbon from animal waste to create energy. Part of that energy will be used to clean wastewater, so it can be used again as drinking water and crop water. That would mean farmers would use less water from the Ogallala Aquifer. Prathap Parameswaran, a professor and civil engineer at KSU, has developed a technology for creating methane using microorganisms. The researchers are trying to build on this system to learn: • how advanced wastewater treatment technology can be combined with existing energy recovery systems, • how to make the combined system as efficient and cost-effective as possible and avoid negative impacts to nature, and • how to make the system adaptable for pro-
Dr. Kiranmayi Mangalgiri evaluates a sample as a part of her research work. Photo courtesy of Mitchell Alcala.
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ducers in the Great Plains region. “This project is different because it is collaborative in every way,” Mangalgiri said. “Instead of one university working on one piece and another university working on another piece, all three universities are working on all the pieces, and they are doing it together.” Mangalgiri is working on the wastewater treatment side of the project. Mark Krzmarzick, OSU professor and interim head of the OSU School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is studying how much antibiotic residue is left in treated water and identifying microorganisms that could enhance energy recovery. “Antibiotic resistance happens because bacteria have specific genes that allow them to tolerate chemicals like antibiotics,” Krzmarzick said. “Understanding how we spread or destroy these genes in our wastewater systems helps protect the health of both agricultural workers and animals.” Douglas Hamilton, an OSU associate professor in biosystems and agricultural engineering, is collaborating with KSU colleagues to improve the energy recovery system that uses microorganisms to purify water. Michael Long, OSU
professor of sociology, is conducting surveys to understand how farmers will adopt the new technology. “We need to know if producers will view the technology as being worth the investment and if they will reuse the cleaned water for livestock, crops, and the food they eat?” Long said. “We will learn where the technology will be adopted and make a strong, positive impact.” This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR’s Research Infrastructure Improvement under award number OIA-2521392 for $6 million. OSU Ag Research is Oklahoma’s premier research and technology development agency in agriculture, natural resources and the life sciences. Story by Alisa Gore | OSU Ag Research October 2025
Developing Leadership: Nathaniel Bolujoko leads the way with Hargis By engaging in community service days and participating in professional development activities, Dr. Mangalgiri’s graduate research assistant and PhD candidate Nathaniel Bolojuko continues to develop his connection to the Hargis Leadership Institute. His active engagement upholds the institute’s mission and BAE Department’s mission, being an example of service-focused leadership that improves communities from all sectors, including agriculture and the environment. His community outreach has included Into the Streets, LEAD Week, and more.
To learn more about the Hargis Leadership Institute, visit leadershipinstitute.okstate.edu. 11
BAE Featured
OSU assists in the search for sustainable irrigation solutions At current rates, certain areas of the Ogallala Aquifer are estimated to run dry in the next 30 years. It’s a daunting dilemma for producers who rely on the aquifer, a body of underground sand and gravel that is porous enough to transmit and store groundwater. But it’s a problem Oklahoma State University, along with Kansas State University, Texas Tech University, California State University and NASA are attempting to solve. Through grant funding from the USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SatRAP) Program, a transdisciplinary, five-year project kicked off this year, aiming to develop water-smart production systems. “The ultimate goal is to sustain the Ogallala Aquifer and similar aquifers in the region,” said Dr. Kevin Wagner, director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Center at OSU. Wagner is joined by OSU faculty colleagues Drs. Sumon Datta, Dayton Lambert, Lixia Lambert, Michael Long and Sumit Sharma on the project. More than two dozen researchers across the universities are collaborating and are split into three teams: education and outreach, socio-economic and technology. KSU is the lead on the project, with OSU evaluating groundwater policy and economic impacts, working to enhance the use of new technologies in Oklahoma by developing new irrigation scheduling tools and delivering findings to producers and water managers through Extension programs and regional outreach. OSU Extension’s Master Irrigator program will be vital during this project.
“Initially, the project will evaluate existing conditions,” Wagner said. “What are the existing policies and practices in each state, how have those changed and evolved over time and what are some possible innovations that can be implemented to help improve the aquifer?” OSU will work with local producers to understand current perceptions of the aquifer’s condition and policies for managing it. They’ll conduct surveys to determine how different conservation efforts are perceived and which ones are most likely to be implemented. “These surveys will allow us to better understand the adoption barriers, needed incentives and perceptions on various policies,” Wagner said. “Also, getting feedback on new technologies will help us make the technology more usable and ensure it is providing producers what is most needed to help them.” The primary technology being addressed is OpenET, a satellite-based water data resource used to track evapotranspiration, or crop water use. The development of OpenET was supported by NASA. Datta, an assistant professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering, heads OSU’s portion of the OpenET work on this project. “OpenET offers several benefits to the SatRAP project by providing a transparent, standardized and scalable foundation for regional water management,” Datta said. “Its long-term, field-scale evapotranspiration data can be used to establish historical baselines and benchmark irrigation performance.” Those historical baselines are something Wagner is excited about applying to future pol-
Specialty Grants and Fellowships Dr. Nurhan Dunford was awarded the Fulbright Canadian Distinguished Research chair in late 2025. She spent the next 8 months working with the University of Saskatchewan and researchers at other academic and industry institutions.
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Dr. Hasan Atiyeh was recognized in May of 2026 as a Fellow with the Hamm Institute. Dr. Atiyeh’s work will continue to on the mission of the Hamm Institute - advancing energy security while connecting the strength of Oklahoma State research by empowering solutions to the energy challenges of tomorrow.
Oklahoma State University will collaborate with other universities and NASA on the five-year project. Photo by Mitchell Alcala.
icy guidelines. The data from OpenET will enable OSU to assess whether policy changes and various programs implemented over the years were effective. Wagner gives the example of well metering. In Kansas, producers are required to meter their wells. In Texas, there are groundwater conservation districts with different levels of regulation. But in Oklahoma, there are limited regulations for users. With OpenET data, which will allow researchers to examine data from the 1980s to the present day, Wagner’s team will be able to determine whether groundwater management policies implemented over the years were effective. “Having data comparing the effectiveness of various policies across these states will help inform decision makers on best approaches moving forward,” Wagner said. The OpenET data will also benefit producers, Datta explains, enabling smarter irrigation practices in the future that require less water usage. “We can directly observe field-scale evapotranspiration and get an estimate of plant available water in the root zone,” Datta said. “We can use this information to dynamically adjust irrigation demand and detect spatial variability of
water stress inside the field.” Stabilizing the aquifer is the main priority for OSU’s research team. Reports indicate that droughts and heat stress across the region will intensify over the next 50 years. Wagner notes some areas have less than 30 years left. Others have more than 200 years. The universities are working to apply a “Q-stable analysis,” a sustainable water usage calculation that identifies what pumping levels would be required to level off declines and extend the life of the aquifer. “The whole focus is what reductions would be required to essentially level off the declines,” Wagner said. “Right now, there’s an angling downward trend in water levels. Can we flatten that trend out? What would that require and what would be the economic implications to farmers and the region?” The ultimate goal is sustainability. “We hope to achieve sustainable water usage in the Ogallala,” Wagner said. “But what we’re going to do will have broad implications throughout the United States and potentially globally.” Story by Dean Ruhl | OSU Ag Research November 2025
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BAE Featured
From Past to Presidents: BAE Alumni Take the Lead of ASABE
Current ASABE president Travis Tsunemori, past-president Sherri Hunt, BAE Department Head Mari Chinn and emeritus faculty Carol Jones celebrate Board of Trustee transitions for Hunt and Jones during the 2026 ASABE Annual International Meeting in Indianapolis, IN. Image provided by Dolores Landeck.
A door opens against the breeze and the metallic, smoky smell of recently cut steel ushers you in. Steps echo in the hallway as students pass by, each clad in a variation of orange, black and shop grease. The rough cinderblock dividing wall, across from murals made by and photos of student teams of the past, gives way to fresh, open spaces, eager to be filled with design projects and experiments. Savoring these first moments, it’s easy to sense the appeal of this place, the draw it has on the imagination of an eager mind. The subsequent semesters within these walls don’t simply lay the foundation; they frame the expectation, foster the goals, and shine light on the dreams. 14
The Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Lab on North Cleveland Street has been homebase, the first and last stop, and the steadfast harbor for innovation, academics, and social order for Oklahoma State University engineers-in-progress for well over 50 years. Within its walls, the future is cultivated and the profession grows. It has kept the company of legendary faculty, such as Drs. Marvin Stone, John Solie, and Ron Elliott, whose inventions and institutions have revolutionized agriculture, resource conservation, and research efforts. Arguably, however, the greatest assets produced in this critical space are the students. Each fall, a new cohort treads onto this proving ground, determined to be change-makers, influential in the balance of the natural world alongside man-made resources, echoing in the hopes, dreams, and hallway footsteps of those who have come before them. The year 2000 must have been a magical year for the alumni cadre. At the time, BAE Department Head Dr. Bill Barfield dedicated the John Deere Distance Education Classroom in what is now Legacy Hall. Dr. Tom Haan received the Eminent Faculty Award. Dr. Paul Weckler was a brand new hire. Cowboy Motorsports placed second at the International 1/4 Scale (IQS) Competition. Travis Tsunemori was preparing to move on from his time as a grad student and researcher to a role in the professional organization. Sherry Hunt was handing off leadership of the top ranked American Society of Agricultural Engineers student branch as she prepared to complete her Masters degree. Candice Engler was just beginning her BAE story, one of those new students clad in bright orange and bigger dreams. There was something cosmic in that chapter of the BAE story, however, that would forever connect those three students. While their academic and professional journeys would differ, as rarely two are ever the same, all share something more significant than simply being BAE students during the first year of the new millenia. They soon will all have been President of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers! Candice Engler (BAE class of 2004) would attain the honor first, leading ASABE from 2020-
Former ASABE President and BAE alum, Candice Engler.
2021. Becoming an agricultural engineer was the fulfillment of childhood dreams, a destiny promised working side-by-side with her father, Bruce, on tractors, sprayers, and other farming implements. Growing up amidst the changing industrial landscape of production agriculture, Engler held on to the philosophy that “every good farmer is a good tinkerer” and continued a lifelong interest in improving agricultural systems and equipment for those impacted by it. Today, she runs her family farming operation, Johnson Bros of Ankeny, following a nearly 20 year career with John
Deere. During her opening statements as ASABE President Elect, Engler was asked to reflect on her story with ASABE. She noted that through every phase of her career, academic and professional, ASABE was there too. Her journey with the organization began shortly after she took those first steps into the BAE halls, where she was immediately connected with a student network at Oklahoma State and other institutions via the professional organization’s connections. Throughout the years, she became involved with the ASABE Young Professionals Committee, as both a member and a chair, where she served to ensure students would continue to have access to the competitions and scholarships that she had. As a board trustee, she continued to learn about the reach and possibilities of the professional organization, which she took into her presidency. Recent ASABE president, Sherry Hunt (BAE class of 1998 and 2000), encouraged others during her 2025-2026 term to share their story and elevate the prominence of the profession into the second quarter of this century. Her professional story was inspired by a presentation by a USDA engineer working in the Sugar Creek Watershed in southwest Oklahoma. Hunt realized that pursuing a career in water resource engineering would allow her to assist agriculturalists in her home community and oth-
The ASABE Board of Trustees, including now president and BAE alum Travis Tsunemori, during their fall meeting at OSU.
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BAE Featured er communities like hers. With two brothers also in the same profession who started in the same program, advancing access to food, fiber, feed, energy, and water has truly become a family event. Despite being in the same department, Sherry was never in their shadow, as her faculty advisors helped her to blaze her own trail. In the 26 years since, Hunt has gone on to work for the USDA Agricultural Research Service, leading research at the hydraulic engineering research unit and managing the Lake Carl Blackwell dam research facility. She continues to support research at OSU through the Oklahoma Water Resources Center, offering technical advice to senior design teams, and has previously dedicated time as a BAE adjunct faculty. Throughout her ASABE journey, she has also served in a leadership capacity on the board of trustees, finance committee, nominating committee, and four ad hoc committees. Her mission remains to engage and promote professional membership, expand global reach, advocate for the profession, and develop future leaders in the agricultural and biological engineering community. Current president, Travis Tsunemori (BAE class of 1997 and 2000), took a slightly dif-
ferent path from the previous two. His BAE story began with a work study in the department where he saw value in research being done from a personal perspective. Having been raised on a farm where he participated in the more labor intensive side of things, he was drawn to the automation and mechanization of the field. While he did not hold leadership roles in the ASABE student chapter or in Cowboy Motorsports, involvement in both kept him excited to continue on and finish his master’s degree. Travis has kept ASABE as a part of his professional journey. After a short stint at John Deere, the involvement in ASABE and IQS drew him to a 15-year career at ASABE, working with and supporting all ASABE standards and technical committees. Even as Tsunemori moved on to join Kubota, he has served on many committees, focusing on Machinery Systems (MS) and Ergonomics, Safety, and Health (ESH). Additionally, he currently serves as the international chair for International Standards Organization (ISO)/ Technical Committee (TC) 23/SC 2 Common Tests, for agricultural and forestry machinery. He has served on both the ASABE Board of Trustees and the ASABE Foundation Board of Trustees, and this past July was honored as an ASABE Fellow, joining the esteemed collective of OSU BAE
Sherry Hunt stands with the Oklahoma student branch during the 2026 Student Rally in Fayetteville, AR.
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faculty and alumni featured in last year’s newsletter. BAE remains part of Tsunemori’s story, where he serves on the advisory committee and is a frequent attendee to senior design project presentations, asking students industry specific questions and challenging them to expand their rationale beyond just the expectations of the collegiate academic setting. All three of the BAE alumni who have been honored to serve as ASABE president have followed similar trails - they joined ASABE as students. They went to section meetings, regional rallies, and the annual international meeting. They competed in one or more of the student competition offerings. During their time with BAE, they made the most of the opportunities to connect with industry and the profession to best prepare them for what comes after they walked across the stage in Gallagher-Iba Arena. As they moved on in their respective careers, they continued that connection via membership, active participation, and leadership roles in the professional society. Reflecting on their legacy, each of them has also noted the draw of the instructors who mentored them. These faculty led in-depth lectures
Past and current ASABE presidents and BAE alumni Travis Tsunemori and Sherry Hunt celebrate together.
and discussion, took time in their lab spaces to encourage exploration and discovery, and brought their students with them as their own research and products continued to develop. Beyond graduation, these faculty worked with them on standards committees, engaged with them in seminars and conference settings, and made introductions to other professionals. Throughout their career developments, these faculty continued to check in with their former flock, kept tabs on their progress, and maintained those relationships, as they evolved to peers and colleagues. When a new BAE student takes their next steps into a collegiate lab, great instructors and program alumni alike can only hope that they realize the opportunity paved before them. Access to skilled faculty, equipment and resources in the learning labs, and connection to industry by way of ASABE all give students a boost into the saddle before riding off into the sunset of a bold and empowered tomorrow. An academic program that has shown so much growth and promise would be privileged to see another three students elevate to this rank and honor within the professional society in the next 25 years. Story by Jessica Busby | BAE Outreach and Engagement Program Specialist
Travis Tsunemori meets with the 2025 Cowboy Motorsports Team during competition.
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BAE Featured
Dreaming bigger and bluer than the sky
Orange power meets ag power in the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Lab. Photo credit courtesy of Mitchell Alcala.
On a sunny afternoon in early March, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering lab manager Joe Preston and instrument tech Derek Owens watched as a blue semi hauled in to the Oklahoma State University CNG refueling station. Sitting atop the flat bed trailer was a brand new and bright blue New Holland T6.180 Methane-Powered Tractor - destined for a future with the ag engineering and technology programs. New Holland, via parent company CNH, has partnered with a number of agricultural engineering academic and research programs nationwide to hand-deliver these units. The T6.180 serves to expand the sustainability offerings and potential of heavy equipment, running on 100% biomethane, a renewable natural gas (RNG) that is captured and processed from organics or animal waste via anaerobic digestion, or conventional compressed natural gas (CNG), like the OSU bus fleet. This donation is a physical embodiment of the concept of circularity and the probability of expanding closed-loop agricultural waste-to-energy usage. Precision agriculture research pro18
grams within the Department Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, conducting Extension specialist Dr. John Long and researcher Dr. Bob Zeng plan to utilize the new tractor to introduce emissions concepts and operational capabilities to both students and producers. There are also opportunities for waste management Extension specialist Dr. Doug Hamilton to use the equipment as an introduction to the possibility for Oklahoma farms to invest in the digesters he researches and specializes in, allowing them to generate some of their own energy for farm operations and equipment. Shortly after its arrival, BAE hosted New Holland territory manager Jake Kentzler and field manager Nick Treaster, Dean Jason Lusk, other members of the Ferguson College of Agriculture and Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty and staff, OSU Foundation development officers, representatives from Great Plains Kubota, and BAE students as they learned the tractor’s mechanics and safety requirements, unique features, and emissions data. Students had the opportunity to navigate
the inside and power it up, under excellent guidance from Nick. Industry partnerships such as these offer more than the monetary value of the donation or the prestige of being a selected program - the true impact is the value in the relationship and connection that paves the way for promising opportunities. For every moment spent in the cab or opening the side panels to investigate the tanks and connections inside, a new thought with the kindling for a research or educational module sparked. In the days to follow, the new tractor was set to work hauling sprayers for research and Extension, undergoing dynamic testing for an Agricultural Systems Technology course, and being explored by students on a visiting field trip. The first time many of the AST program students saw the new tractor, they were ready to pop the hood, inspect the components, and research the systems. Engaging with field equipment that is unique but continuing to ex-
pand in availability in the farming space prepares these future technicians, sales representatives, and facility managers with experience and knowledge that may set them apart from their peers. Similarly, as Department Head Dr. Mari Chinn stood upon the tractor to speak with 70 local seventh graders, the room came to life with curiosity and intrigue. Rare is the opportunity for youth to engage with technology of the future - this gift has enabled BAE to facilitate that introduction to production agriculture. With the conclusion of the T6’s first 180 days on the job, it has already been initiated into Oklahoma State’s land grant mission and the department looks forward to continuing to see it positively impact the program. Thank you again to New Holland, as well as representatives Jake Kentzler and Nick Treaster, for this generous gift and for your time spent with OK State and the BAE program. Story by Jessica Busby | BAE Outreach and Engagement Program Specialist
Students, faculty, and staff engage with New Holland representatives and learn about the T6.180. Photo credit courtesy of Mitchell Alcala.
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BAE Featured
From research to reality: OSU seniors solving real-world challenges
Sarah Spring, a biosystems engineering major, helps roast and coat cashews with her teammates as part of their research to determine what roasting and coating technology is most appropriate for their client’s budget. The Cashew Crew, as they called themselves, was one of several senior design teams with this type of project. (Photo by Mitchell Alcala, OSU Agriculture)
When someone says engineering, most people likely envision someone who designs machinery or buildings, but graduating engineers also step into a wide variety of careers, from food and agriculture, healthcare and manufacturing to technology, research, design, operations and management. Oklahoma State University Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering seniors demonstrated this diversity Friday during the annual Senior Design event, in which graduating seniors demonstrate their research projects for OSU faculty and staff, stakeholders and the general public. “This is always a proud moment in the academic year,” said Dr. Mari Chinn, biosystems and agricultural engineering department head. “Senior projects challenge our students to draw from their years of coursework, think critically, navigate team and interpersonal relationship dynamics, develop confidence with their skills and realize their potential in a safe space before 20
they embrace the next steps in their career.” Most of the team projects not only gave students experience in research and design but also in working with industry partners. “It’s challenging but valuable,” said senior Sarah Spring, who was part of the Cashew Crew design team. “You’re balancing rigorous academic work with a sponsor who may not yet know what criteria they need. You often have to work with them through that process.” “A big part is learning how to communicate engineering concepts to people without engineering backgrounds,” added teammate Eric Renner. Payden Ferguson, owner of Padiano’s Kitchen of Broken Arrow, is an OSU alumnus with a working relationship with OSU’s Food and Agriculture Products Center and the team’s sponsor. He approached the university for help with upscaling his cashew production. Padiano’s has become popular for its Crackshews (roasted, seasoned cashews), but the business strug-
gles to keep up with growing demand with its current technology. “It’s very similar to real-world engineering - open-ended problems, shifting expectations and finding a solution everyone can agree on within time constraints,” said Cashew Crew team member Eli Reynolds. “Initially, we focused on roasting and coating processes to identify equipment that could scale up production,” Spring said. “After a site visit, we noticed quality defects and decided to investigate ingredient replacements, specifically binding agents. At the end of the fall 2025 semester, after working under the supervision of faculty advisor Tim Bowser, the team presented recommendations on binding agents and equipment options to Ferguson, proposing full-scale solu-
tions, such as machines that will both roast and coat cashews at a faster rate, and more budget-friendly, partial-scale solutions, such as machines that roast at a faster rate with separate machinery for coating. The Cashew Crew won the Top Biosystems Engineering Presentation award at Friday’s event. Following graduation, Spring will be working for an ingredients and flavor consulting company headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin, while Reynolds pursues medical school. Renner will work on optimizing dry goods storage and process flow for Calvin Foods in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Story by Alisa Gore | OSU Agriculture, April 2026
Do you have a project for BAE’s Senior Design Capstone program? For more information on program support or on applicable project ideas, contact Dr. Kevin Moore at 405-744-8423 or via email at kevin.moore@okstate.edu To check out past projects, visit our website at bae.okstate.edu or scan the QR code. Top left; Eli Reynolds hands out samples during blind testing. Lower left; the Cashew Crew pose ahead of their final presentation. Right; Eric Renner packages up samples in the FAPC test kitchen.(Photo by Mitchell Alcala, OSU Agriculture)
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BAE Awarded BAE Alumni, Dr. Cara Cowan Watts, recognized by Tau Beta Pi
In recognition of leadership in advocating for her community and continued efforts in cultivating the profession, Cara Cowan Watts, OK G ’97, has been named the 2025 Asad M. Madni Distinguished Alumna. Dr. Cowan Watts earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering, an M.S. in telecommunications management, and a Ph.D. in biosystems engineering all from Oklahoma State University (OSU). She is CEO of Tulsa Pier
Drilling, LLC, and co-owner of the Sideways Cattle Co., with her husband, which focuses on training competitive quarter horses and providing beef to the American public. For over 20 years, Dr. Cowan Watts has also been owner and contract consultant for Cherokee Star working with organizations and companies within Indian Country or tribes doing business with outside corporations. Dr. Cowan Watts has a passion and commitment for serving Indian Country and advancing its interests and rights, including being elected for three consecutive terms (2003-15) as a Cherokee Nation Tribal legislator for portions of Tulsa and Rogers counties. During this time, she logged many accomplishments, including bringing in more than $1,500,000 in Tribal grant dollars, being appointed to the OK Advisory Committee for the U.S. Committee on Civil Rights, and drove new Tribal program initiatives targeting STEM within the Tribe and public schools. She also fosters a spirit of liberal culture in her professional activities as a Louis Stokes NSF Fellow, former, twice-elected member of the AISES Board of Directors, and president of the Oklahoma Professional Chapter from 2017-21. Dr. Cowan Watts facilitated an agreement with OSU to bring the National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair to the Stillwater campus and return the fair to a physical format. In 2020, she was awarded the highest AISES lifetime achievement honor, the Ely S. Parker Award, which recognizes Indian leaders who embody AISES’ mission through their achievements and STEM contributions.
Other BAE Alumni Award Winners in 2025-2026 Laura Merriman
Oklahoma’s 40-under-40
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BAE Class of 2011 graduate Laura Merriman, now working as a Water Resource Engineer for Burns & McDonnel, has made a huge impact to our Oklahoma community in stormwater management. You can read her inspirational story by scanning the QR code or by visiting okmag.com/blog/40-under-40-3/
Dr. Ali Mirchi named recipient of Icko Iben Multidisciplinary Communications Award by American Water Resources Association Dr. Ali Mirchi is an Associate Professor of Water Resources Engineering in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University. He also serves as Associate Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Center, a federally authorized institute under the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, dedicated to supporting informed water management through impactful research, education, and outreach that connects science with communities to address water challenges. Dr. Mirchi’s work has facilitated dialogues among traditional disciplines of engineering, hydrology, water resources management, climatology, ecology, soil sciences, agronomy, social sciences, environmental policy, and economics, while engaging a diverse array of water resources decision-makers, practitioners, and civil society communities in the US and internationally. He applies effective communication strategies to translate complex scientific evidence into accessible information for the public and relay the stakeholders’ perspectives to experts from different disciplinary backgrounds to develop holistic solutions. His science-based outreach efforts have guided water policies and management interventions to support sustainable food, feed, and fiber production amid mounting challenges posed by urbanization, irrigation expansion, fragile ecosystems, and hydrologic intensification. These efforts have attracted media attention to critical water resources management issues such as looming water bankruptcy in regions where water demand far exceeds renewable water supply leading to shrinkage of natural lakes and groundwater depletion.
Besides communicating the dire challenges, Dr. Mirchi’s outreach efforts grounded in actionable science raise public awareness about opportunities for mitigation and adaptation, including reducing demand through water conservation, recycling and reuse of treated wastewater, and planning to use other non-traditional water sources such as inland saline groundwater in conjunction with available freshwater resources. He has a proven track record of communicating research findings to the public through stakeholder meetings, fact sheets, op-eds, and interviews about water-related stories in local to global news outlets. Dr. Mirchi holds a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University, a master’s in water resources engineering from Lund University, and a BS in civil engineering-water resources from the University of Tabriz.
Other BAE Faculty Award Winners in 2025-2026 Dr. Hamilton, supported by BAE student Samantha and OSU Agriculture Office of Communications Dr. Douglas Hamilton Phelps and Marketing team members Craig Woods and Parizaad Award from the Association for Mohamadi, were awarded second place for their use of Communication Excellence motion graphics in Electronic Media category by the Association for Communication Excellence. You can view their award winning video by scanning the QR code. 23
Senior Project Courses 2025-2026 Our BE senior design course and our AST capstone course are tailored to provide our seniors with opportunities to define engineering solutions to challenges facing agricultural and biological systems. These projects emphasize our department and profession’s continued mission toward the improvement of agricultural and biological products and the services that support their production.
Biosystems Engineering Senior Design Projects, Teams and Sponsors Cashew Crew Eric Renner, Eli Reynolds, Sarah Spring Client: Padiano’s Kitchen, Broken Arrow, OK DJR Implements Harrison Frazier, Douglas Harshbarger, Jacksen Ketner Client: LL Implements, Oklahoma City, OK Erosion Erasers Kami Blythe, Jaycee Greening, Tatumn Kennedy, Eli Wood Client: Dr. Ali Mirchi and Dr. Sara Alian, Stillwater, OK The Hedge Fund Garrison Green, Brady Holzapfel, Cara McWilliams Client: Jim Curl, Braman, OK Sustainalight Jayden Barbere, Kylie Daum, Dulce Gallardo-Owens, Gillian Hahn Client: OSU Facilities Management, Stillwater, OK
Ag Systems Technology Senior Capstone Projects, Teams and Sponsors FarmSim Luke Ackerly, Mason Harris, Ben Ridder Client: Dr. John Long, Stillwater, OK Autodrone Derek DeGroot, Hercules Gonsalves, Chloe Stafford, Nickolas Stratman Client: Dr. John Long, Stillwater, OK
Do you have a project that you would like the BE senior design or AST capstone program to support you on? We want to hear from you! Past projects have included consumables (processing and packaging), environmental remediation, biomass transformation, agricultural implements, weather-safe designs, community improvements, sensors and controls, livestock infrastructure, and agricultural safety To discuss: please contact Dr. Kevin Moore (kevin.moore@okstate.edu) or Dr. John Long (john.m.long@okstate.edu)
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For the full program for the CEAT Senior Design Expo, scan here or visit ceat.okstate.edu/ senior-design
2024-2025 Graduates We would like to recognize and congratulate our spring, summer and fall graduates from the 2024-2025 academic year. B.S., Agricultural Systems Technology Brance Bolden Gentry Cantrell Dylan Cope Braden Dunn Grace Evans Garrett Hodous Jack Mackey Cade Quigley Kaden Rapp Luke Spady Justin Zuniga
M.S., Biosystems Engineering Nazlim Aktay Advisor: Nurhan T. Dunford Thesis Title: Evaluation of Low Value Lipids for Thermal Storage Applications Adeyinka Oluwabusayo Ogunbajo Advisor: Jeff M. Sadler Thesis Title: Assessing the Impact of Multiple Rain Gauges as an Input to a Machine Learning Streamflow Prediction Model Mamata Pandey Advisor: Jeff M. Sadler Thesis Title: Towards Efficient Water Management in Agriculture: Insights from Farmers and Development of a Global Crop Evapotranspiration Forecasting Tool
2024-2025 AST B.S., Biosystems Engineering Gunnar Aune Brody Bouher Clara Buckmaster Samantha Burkart Elizabeth Casey Connor Colby Gus Cowan Scott Davis Kierstin Franklin Cael Gostomsky Camryn Grabeal Sierra Josselyn Emma Kistler Randi Laverty James Lee Logan Morris Tanner Robinson Lukas Steinhart Kirin Stewart Kali Ware
Palash Kumar Kundu Advisor: Sumon Datta Thesis Title: Evaluation of Five Data-Driven Approaches for Estimating Canopy Temperature in Irrigated Cotton Joy Kotey* Advisor: Kiranmayi P. Manglagiri Samuel Mason Advisor: Ning Wang Thesis Title: Development of a Respiration Rate Sensor for Feedlot Cattle with Respect to Chronic Patterns of Stress Onset. An asterisk (*) indicates the student participated in a non-thesis option.
2024-2025 BE 25
2025-2026 Graduates We would like to recognize and congratulate our spring, summer and fall graduates from this past academic year. B.S., Agricultural Systems Technology
B.S., Biosystems Engineering
Luke Ackerly Derek DeGroot Hercules Gonsalves Mason Harris Ben Ridder Chloe Stafford Nickolas Stratman
Jayden Barbere Kami Blythe Kylie Daum Dulce Gallardo-Owens Garrison Green Jaycee Greening Gillian Hahn Douglas Harshbarger Brady Holzapfel Tatumn Kennedy Jacken Ketner Cara McWilliams Sarah Spring Eric Renner
2025-2026 AST M.S., Biosystems Engineering Shahrukh Ali Advisor: Kiranmayi Mangalgiri Nadia Bawa Fio Bekoe* Advisor: Douglas Hamilton Alok Pandit Thesis Title: Crop Water Use and Irrigation Estimation Using OpenET in Oklahoma Advisor: Sumon Datta Jaymee Jo Zabienski* Advisor: Timothy Bowser An asterisk (*) indicates the student participated in a non-thesis option.
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2025-2026 BE
Student Organization’s Updates Graduate Student Association (GSA) President: Muhammed Usama Yaseen Advisor: Dr. Kiranmayi Mangalgiri
BAE GSA is dedicated to supporting graduate students through leadership, wellness, professional development, and social activities. Throughout the year, they have hosted events such as a welcome party to meet new students, monthly wellness days including their Sports Gala to promote overall health, a food stall during Homecoming to fundraise, a Halloween party to foster social engagement and international potlucks to celebrate each other. In the spring, BAE GSA participates in the ASABE 3 Minute Thesis competition, movie nights and more potlucks, their graduation reception party, national parks visits, and their annual research mini-showcase. BAE GSA members actively participate in major conferences, including ASABE AIM, AGU, and the Oklahoma Governor’s Water Conference, earning recognition through various awards and competitions. We are grateful for the support of our faculty, donors, and alumni in helping us create a thriving academic community.
Alpha Epsilon President: Tatumn Kennedy Advisor: Dr. Douglas Hamilton Alpha Epsilon inducted their newest class, featuring current juniors, seniors, and graduate students in a small ceremony in November, 2025. Among those honored were Austin Pickering, Madison Patswald, Nadia Bekoe, Ethan Stone, Claire Schleiblehof, Alec Anderson, Eli Wood, Kylie Daum, Jacob Kettner, Ali Nejad, Kasra Khodkar, Asfaneh Kagzchachi and Sarah Spring. Congratulations to all those who were inducted into Alpha Epsilon! Cowboy Waterworks Design Lead: Ethan Stone Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Sadler After taking a hiatus for 2025, in 2026 Cowboy Waterworks hit the ground running. CWS met every week to focus on designing and creating their fountain for the annual Fountain Wars competition. The team decided on an overall design and developed detailed plans for both the technical task and the aesthetics display for the fountain. After fabrication and assembly and testing, the team competed against 12 other peer institutions in Indianapolis, Indianna in mid-July. The team currently has ten members and is actively recruiting again this semester at Ferguson and CEAT events. Will you be at AIM-2027? If so, be sure to watch for Cowboy Waterworks!
What’s coming up in 2026-2027 America’s Greatest Homcoming Saturday, October 24, 2026
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OSU/UARK Mini Rally November 6 and 7, 2026
ASABE Southeastern Student Rally Saturday, March TBD, 2027
ASABE Oklahoma Section Meeting Friday, March TBD, 2027
Cowboy Motorsports Director: Ethan Stone Advisor: Dr. John Long
Cowboy Motorsports spent the 2025-2026 academic year hard at work bringing their 2026 competition tractor to life. This past year, Cowboy Motorsports brought CMS Snowman to the 2025 competition and brought home first in the defense of design and third in team presentations, as well as OSU record distances in the pulls for an electromechanical tractor. During the fall 2025 semester, they attended several recruitment events for both the club and department, attending the Ferguson Roundup, CEAT Student Organization Fair, and the inaugural Poke’s Promenade, a recruitment event for middle and high school students looking to enroll at OSU. Cowboy Motorsports participated alongside ASABE in America’s Greatest Homecoming. They also hosted their annual pulled pork fundraiser at Walkaround. The team hosted their annual lawnmower clinic and participated in filming for the US Farm Report in spring 2026. The team was looking forward to the 2026 International Quarter Scale Competition in May, but unexpected equipment failures the night before traveling sidelined them for this season. The team is looking forward to 2027 and another great year of activities on campus.
The American Society for Agricultural and ASABE Student Branch Biological Engineers is a professional society that provides resources and community for biosystems President: Cara McWilliams engineers and agricultural technologists as students Advisor: Dr. Kevin Moore and industry professionals. As the preprofessional student organization, the OSU student branch hosts industry and academic speakers at their bi-weekly meetings. In the past year, this has included the ASABE Board of Trustees, Freese and Nichols, and Ditch Witch, among others, that speak to students about their company and personal experiences. ASABE also participates in community outreach and hosts social events for students and faculty to get to know each other and have fun! In the 2025-2026 school year, ASABE has hosted a welcome back picnic, a homecoming bake-sale, and participated in career fairs. Students attended the Southeastern Regional Rally in Fayetteville, Arkansas where students met with other students and faculty from schools across the region, took tours of different industries around Fayetteville, and bonded with their club members. We would like to thank the department, faculty, local industries, and alumni for their help and support in making all of their events and meetings possible, and we look forward to seeing our peer institutions at rally!
ASABE Student Awards Banquet Commencent Ceremonies Saturday, April 3, 2027 May 7-8, 2027 ASABE Annual International Meeting Senior Design Presentations and Expo July 17-20, 2027 Friday, April 23, 2027
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Department Happenings Campus Faculty and Staff Awards
Dakota Keith, pictured with President Jim Hess.
Dakota Keith Student Services Coordinator Dakota Keith was honored as a 2025 Distinguished Service Awards Semi-Finalist in December of 2025. Dakota works incredibly hard to support all BAE students, assist them in class selections, cheer them on through each fundraiser, competition and award ceremony, and guide them on their journey to graduation. Outside of student services, Dakota is a key figure in the BAE recruitment plan - in 2025, Dakota engaged with thousands of school children and members of the public to increase awareness and interest in the biosystems engineering and agricultural systems technology programs. The interactions also bolster the Department’s relationships with industry. During Career Fair week, Dakota met with dozens of recruiters and potential employers offering internship and career opportunties for our students and soon-to-be graduates. The engagements have resulted in a growing network for BAE students to communicate and partner with moving forward. This nomination was hard earned and well deserved, and we look forward to continuing to see Dakota make a difference in STEM education and student opportunities in the 2026-2027 academic year. Do you know a student who may be ready to start considering a future in biosystems and agricultural engineering? Do you know a teacher who may benefit by a classroom visit? Do you know of an industry contact who would like to partner with our program? Please contact Dakota Keith at dakota. keith@okstate.edu or at 405-744-5432.
Faculty and Staff in the News We’re introducing a new source to get caught up on all the news, publications, and research articles either written by or featuring our BAE faculty, students, and staff. Interested in what’s currently featured? You can see all of the places our faculty have had their research published or have been featured in the media by scanning this QR code. Recent stories include media features on US News and Farm Report, SunUp and Extension, as well as local outlets including Stillwater NewsPress and the High Plains Journal. Looking for student success stories? Perhaps a feature on global impact, or even an alumni spotlight? Exit out of the main window that opens and scroll down a story or section that suits your needs! Send your stories to be featured to jessica.busby@okstate.edu.
Department Happenings Order of the Engineer 2025 and 2026 Beginning in 2025, the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering debuted the planning and production of the annual Order of the Engineer Induction ceremony for the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology. The ceremony includes taking the Obligation of the Engineer, learning the history of the organization, and participating in a handshake through the ceremonial ring. In the last two years, BAE faculty and staff have supported 273 graduating engineers, graduate students, and alumni in joining Link #214.
Senior Design Capstone Featured by our ASABE Society The biosystems engineering senior design capstone course was featured in the 2025 Capstone Edition of ASABE’s Resource magazine. Dr. Kevin Moore wrote a great piece highlighting the wins and the lessons that come out of leading and learning within the course. Photos and stories include the 2024 and 2025 senior design classes. As many of our seniors move on in their professional lives and membership within the professional organization, we hope they can look back on the story of their experience with great memories. Check out the PDF version of Resource magazine by visiting asabe.org/resource and selecting 2025 V325e.
Student Awards 2025
Gunnar Aune
CEAT Outstanding Senior and Ferguson Senior of Distinction
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James Lee
Ferguson Senior of Distinction
Katelin Bean Ferguson Senior of Distinction
Kasra Khodkar
CEAT Outstanding Graduate Student
Department Happenings Grad Students BAE Graduate students continue to have banner years of taking their research back into the community, connecting with industry and other academics, and propelling agricultural engineering forward.
Are you interested in supporting our graduate students? Check out our Orange Passion funds that are applicable to the graduate student programs, including Clarence E. Johnson Endowment, BAE Graduate Support Fund for Sustainable Ag, Natural Resources and Food Systems, and the James E. Bradley Renewable Energy Endowment.
Student Awards 2026
Tatumn Kennedy
OSU Outstanding Senior OSU Senior of Significance Ferguson Outstanding Senior Ferguson Senior of Distinction CEAT Outstanding Senior
Derek DeGroot Ferguson Senior of Significance
Muhammed Umar Akbar CEAT Outstanding Graduate Student
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BAE 2025 Advisory Committee The advisory committee offers feedback and advice to the department head and faculty to help enhance programs and operations in teaching, research and extension. The committee has members from different areas of expertise, institutions and affiliations representing our BAE profession.
Lower row, from left; Cole Niblett, Mark Faulkenberry, Steven Fowler, Travis Tsunemori Upper row, from left; John Ringer, Mari Chinn, Brian Thomas, Mary Campbell
2025 and 2026 BAE Advisory Committee Members David Campbell* Senior Manager, Engineering Ditch Witch
Sydney Levine Global Retrofit and Aftermarket Manager Zeeco, Inc.
Mary Campbell Vice President, Nutrition Global Development and Innovation Coca-Cola
Laura Merriman Department Manager, Houston Water Region Burns & McDonnell
Mark Faulkenberry Vice President, Marketing and Member Relations Western Farmers Electric Cooperative Steven Fowler Associate Professor of Professional Practice Oklahoma State University, School of Materials, Mechatronics, and Manufacturing Engineering
Randy Roark Vice-President of Engineering and Development Bama Companies, Inc. Brian Thomas CEO Carbon Rho, LLC.
Cole Niblett Oklahoma Water Team Leader Garver
Travis Tsunemori Product Compliance Manager Kubota Tractor Corporation
Courtney Andrews Ogle Stormwater Engineer Olsson
Cara Cowan Watts* Chief Executive Officer and Majority Owner, Tulsa Pier Drilling, LLC Owner of Cherokee Star DBA
John Ringer Senior Manager of Engineering Systems and Current Products Ditch Witch
An asterisk (*) denotes a term ending in 2025. If you are interested in participating in the BAE Advisory Committee, please contact Dr. Mari Chinn mari.chinn@okstate.edu • 405-744-5431 34
Friends of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
The Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) depends upon the generous gifts of alumni, emeriti faculty, family, friends, faculty and staff to help fulfill our goals in educating the next generation of Biosystems Engineers and Agricultural Systems Technologists. Support we receive from our valued donors enables us to continue providing quality programs and experiences to our students. With the ever-increasing costs of higher education, student scholarships and funding become increasingly more important. Donations big and small can allow acquisition of stateof-the-art equipment and resources for instruction and research, fund student activities, enhance our facilities and elevate professional development within BAE. We are fortunate to have endowed scholarships in the names of our emeriti faculty, alumni, family and friends that are consistently funded through our donors. Joining our family of annual donors offers opportunities for students to pursue degrees in Biosystems Engineering and Agricultural Systems Technology. It also allows BAE to be successful in offering curricula and supporting initiatives we can continue to be proud of and that will have lasting positive impacts. Our annual donors help ensure a lasting legacy. Please consider becoming a part of our recognized Friends of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, where we celebrate contributions and the wonderful achievements you help stimulate. To donate, visit osugiving.com/bae and select “Discover More Orange Passions-Biosystems”
Orange Passions in 2026/2027 Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Program Support Fund (21-00250) Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty and Staff Development Fund (21-01500) Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Student Professional Development Fund (21-48000) Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Engagement and Support Team Honorary Award (21-60260)
Support of BAE comes in both dedication of time and donations. We thank you for your continued generosity! 35
Friends of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Friends of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering As of September 9, 2026
2023-2024 Clarence E. Johnson Trust Lewis Family Trust Lieu R. Smith Greg and Kristen Hart Halliburton Power of Six
Larry and Terri Billen Don and Kim Yarbrough
Jim and Judy Loftis Ron and Judith Elliott Michael and Linda Smolen Tom and Jan Haan Ray and Sandy Huhnke Tom Rains Jodie and Roseanna Whitney Dean and Sharon Yoder Terry and Marie Barefoot Justin Kistler David and Sandra Epperly Ron and Zona Noyes
Lawrence and Karen Betche David and Debbie Campbell
2024-2025 Lieu R. Smith
Fred and Leatrice Bouse Larry and Terri Billen Tom and Jan Haan Don and Kim Yarbrough
The Barfield Family Gerald H. Brusewitz Ron and Judith Elliott Tom Rains
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Christine Altendorf Terry and Marie Barefoot Richard and Jean Bengtson Michael and Susan Buser David and Debbie Campbell Tesfaye Demissie David and Sandra Epperly Bob Haan Ray and Sandy Huhnke Jim and Judy Loftis Ron and Sharon Morgan Ron and Zone Noyes Michael and Linda Smolen Travis Tsunemori Karen Haan Waselko Jodie and Roseanna Whitney Dean and Sharon Yoder
Friends of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Friends of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering As of September 9, 2026
2025-2026 New Holland North America, Inc. Clarence E. Johnson Trust Lewis Family Trust Lieu R. Smith Greg and Kristen Hart Halliburton Power of Six
Larry and Terri Billen Don and Kim Yarbrough George Thomas Rains
David and Debbie Campbell Christine Altendorf ONEOK Jodie and Roseanna Whitney Randy Lynn Worden Richard and Jean Bengtson Sharon and Alfred Yoder Mary Rebecca Campbell Harry L. Manges Terry and Marie Barefoot Floyd and Gayle Dowell Fidelity/Epperly Family Charitable Fund Stephen and Nancy Seary Michael and Linda Smolen
Fred and Leatrice Bouse Bill Barfield and Rene Torres Jim and Judy Loftis Ray and Sandy Huhnke Mary Elizabeth Mach
2026-2027
Fred and Leatrice Bouse
Christine Altendorf Floyd and Gayle Dowell Michael and Linda Smolen
Because of donors like you, our students get to take advantage of the opportunity to recieve a world class education. Photo by Dr. Mari Chinn
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