May 18, 2005
Purdue names new head of agricultural and biological engineering
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Bernie Engel, an award-winning researcher and educator, has been chosen to lead the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University.
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Randy Woodson, dean of Purdue Agriculture, named Engel to the post on Monday (May 16). Engel, who also is a Purdue professor of agricultural and biological engineering, has been acting as interim department head since August. He succeeds Vince Bralts, who last year accepted the position of associate dean of resource planning and management in Purdue's College of Engineering.
"Bernie is an outstanding researcher, teacher and colleague," Woodson said. "His background and experience are tremendous assets. I am very excited about the department's future as it plays such a critical role in our college's strategic goals."
Engel, a Purdue graduate, joined the department as an assistant professor in 1988. As a natural resources engineer, he studies soil and water conservation and engineering. His research focuses on modeling groundwater quality and developing Web-based tools to help farmers and others manage their land in a way that minimizes nutrient loss, soil erosion, pesticide loss, runoff and groundwater contamination.
His research in groundwater vulnerability to pollutants also was used to develop the Indiana state management plan for pesticides.
Engel's priorities as department head include collaborating with centers at Purdue's Discovery Park and recruiting more undergraduates.
"One of the strengths of this department is its roots in interdisciplinary research," Engel said. "Many of our faculty are exploring new and exciting fields, such as bionanosensor development and bioenergy production.
"Given this expertise, the department is well-suited to take advantage of the capabilities provided at Discovery Park."
Discovery Park is Purdue's hub for interdisciplinary research in fields including nanotechnology, biosciences and advanced manufacturing.
Another of Engel's objectives is to recruit more students to the department. To help reach that goal, he said the department is expanding its undergraduate curriculum and developing a new area of emphasis in biological engineering.
Engel has received numerous awards during his research career, including the Purdue Agriculture Research Award, the American Society of Agricultural Engineers Outstanding Young Researcher Award and the College of Engineering Outstanding Teacher Award. He also is a University Faculty Scholar, an honor that recognizes outstanding faculty who are on an accelerated path for academic distinction.
The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, which is part of the College of Agriculture, has consistently been ranked among the top three programs in the country.
The department offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in agricultural systems management, agricultural and biological engineering, biological and food process engineering, environmental and natural resources engineering and machine systems engineering. The department is home to 33 faculty, 235 undergraduates and 75 graduate students.
Writer: Jennifer Cutraro, (765) 496-2050, jcutraro@purdue.edu
Sources: Randy Woodson, (765) 494-8392
Bernie Engel, (765) 496-1115
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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