As you receive this newsletter, we are concluding another very active academic year.  In late spring semester, our faculty have the opportunity to see the fruits of their labor as we read final reports and attend presentations by student teams giving us a look at the results of their senior capstone projects.  It is really a fun time for us as students demonstrate their capabilities, creativity, and personal growth that has taken place over the 4-5 year period that most have been with us.  These reports and presentations are also critically reviewed by a panel of faculty as a major part of our self assessment process to determine how well we are meeting our educational goals in our academic programs.  We further supplement this process with exit surveys of graduating seniors and with periodic surveys of alumni and employers.  This year I mailed a detailed survey form to about 100 alumni of our engineering program going back ten years since graduation.  We had a very good response rate exceeding 50 percent.  Skills ranked highest in importance by our alumni are problem solving, computer applications, and communications.  Highest ranking components to strengthen curriculum include computer tools for engineering practice and business/management methods.
 
Do we use this information to make changes?  The answer is yes.  Our process involves both curricular changes as well as faculty changes to their pedagogical methods and to their course materials.  Assessment data from our capstone courses  indicate areas of success as well as those more difficult to improve.  Moving to additional topics, this has been an exciting year of progress in our research and extension areas.  An example is a collaborative program involving several departments to improve effectiveness of chemical application technology for control of scab disease in wheat and barley. This program includes several of our department faculty.  Media publicity has given us headline coverage of test and experimental equipment. Our computer imaging component of this work is contributing important new information to improve agri-chemical spray methods.
 
I am very pleased to indicate that two new staff members have joined our extension staff.  They are Scott Birchall and Aung Hla.  More information about them and their programs follows in this newsletter.  Also, contributing to our research programs are three outstanding young visiting scientists; Juan Vargas Lopez, Younes Chtioui, and Basavaraj Madhusudhan.
 
This year, thanks to Les Backer, we have developed new brochures for student recruitment and we have updated our web page with materials that provide prospective students with new information.  Our website has considerable additional information on it.  You are invited to visit us further in this way.  I’d also welcome any feedback you would like to offer concerning reactions or suggestions for improvement.
 
Finally, I wish to acknowledge all alumni and friends who have dropped in or written to us.  As always, we are very interested in hearing from you.  Please consider taking a few minutes to complete the attached form to update us about yourself.  You can also choose to do this via our website.

Earl Stegman

 

Scott Birchall: Livestock Waste Management Specialist, Carrington   "Why would you move to North Dakota?" is a question I've been answering frequently in the last twelve months. As a "lawful alien" imported from the temperate climate of New South Wales, Australia, I normally reply "For the beautiful weather." Actually I moved to Carrington in late March of 1998 to work with the NDSU Extension Service on animal waste management issues.      The Livestock Waste Management Technical Information and Assistance Program is a four year extension effort to provide livestock producers with the help necessary to improve manure handling, storage and reuse practices. This assistance is provided by way of delivering educational information and programs, as well as on-site advice when requested. Since starting the program, I have been focussing on raising the awareness of regulatory requirements for animal feeding operations and improving the utilization of manure. A phone survey of 356 beef, dairy and swine producers was completed in February to provide a clearer picture of current manure management practices and issues where producers are looking for assistance.      My work with livestock waste began in 1994. With my farming background and training in Agricultural Engineering, I was employed by the New South Wales Department of Agriculture (who provide a similar function as Extension) to work with dairy producers and help develop their plans for waste management systems. The Australian dairy industry is predominately a pasture based production system, which means that only a small proportion of the manure output is collected and that the waste stream is fairly dilute. Recently, a number of free stall barn systems have been built, fueling my interest in travelling to the US to learn more about managing manure in confinement situations.      If it weren't for the Internet though, I probably wouldn't be here. The position announcement was put onto one of the many agricultural discussion group list-servers and came up on my computer screen 9000 miles away. I was able to chase up more information at NDSU's home page and ask questions via email. To top off the technological tour, the interview took place using interactive video. It's exciting to think of the career possibilities open to people who are prepared to be mobile.      But of course, I didn't move all this way for the employment opportunity alone. The chance to travel in a different culture and landscape is a big part of the appeal in working overseas. Yes, I have even enjoyed my first North Dakota winter (mild as it was). I have learned a little about the history of the Great Plains and had some fun on my travels. My friends and family are still skeptical about stories of being chased out of camp by a grizzly in Denali National Park and sleeping in the snow on a dog sledding trip across the frozen lakes of the Boundary Waters.      These are a just a few of the things I will mention the next time someone asks "Why North Dakota?"

Aung Hla:  Area Irrigation Specialist, Carrington  Aung Hla's responsibilities include assisting in the formation of irrigation districts and participation in Irrigation and High Value Irrigated Crops Production Task Forces.  He is also a member of the Bureau of Reclamation Water Conservation Team.        Some of his activities include estimating irrigation potential by assessing surface and groundwater resources, disseminating water conservation technologies for irrigation projects, providing technical   assistance to producers on irrigated crops and vegetable production, dissemination of information on irrigation systems design and selection of sprinkler packages, promotion of drip irrigation technologies, and measurement of flow from wells and from surface water delivery systems as part of evaluating irrigation system efficiency.   Aung Hla's previous work experience includes the operation and management of irrigation systems in Bangladesh from 1974 to 1993.  During this time, Aung planned surface and groundwater irrigation development projects.  He also organized water-well construction and organized workshops on ground water resource development technologies.  In cooperation with the International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI) and the World Bank, he participated in regional workshops overseas (India, Nepal, The Philippines, Sri Lanka.)  While at the University of Arizona from 1993 to 1998, Aung conducted research on the determination of water use in citrus crops, evaluated drip irrigation management in Arizona Groundwater Active Management Areas, organized data collection on water use for desert plants in urban landscape environments, and designed and operated sap-flow sensors.

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The human food use of flaxseed is enjoying a surge in popularity, buoyed by public interest in functional foods, that is foods contributing more than basic nutrition.  Flaxseed is already recognized as an outstanding source of the essential fatty acid, " linolenic acid.  The public is becoming aware of evidence that a diet supplemented with soy and flaxseed products may reduce risk of cancer, especially of breast cancer, and of heart disease and other diseases.  An expert panel on food safety and nutrition recently highlighted flaxseed as one of ten promising plant sources of functional foods.
 
One component in flaxseed has lately been getting particularly careful scrutiny: the ligan called SDG (short for secoisolariciresinol diglycoside).  SDG is converted by colon bacteria to the protective lignans, enterodiol and enterolactone.  There is significant, increasing evidence of the cancer-preventing and tumor-shrinking properties of these lignans. Flaxseed is an exceptional source of lignans; the lignans are present at levels 75-800 times greater than other known crop and vegetable sources.
 
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department researchers are developing a process for the production of flaxseed ligan concentrates.  Since SDG is mainly present in the hull, various methods of dehulling are being evaluated. Even though the hull is not readily removed from the endosperm, it is low in oil, therefore it could become a byproduct of the linseed oil process.  The flaxseed research team includes Dennis Wiesenborn, Basavaraj Madhusudhan, Kristi Tostenson, Jurgen Schwarz, Kevin Capistran (graduating ABEN senior student), James Gillespie (Cereal Science), and Sam Chang (Food & Nutrition), and is cooperating with Jack Carter, Emeritus Professor in Plant Sciences and Director of the Flax Institute.
 
The human food use of flaxseed offers potential to expand demand far beyond its traditional base in paints and coatings.  North Dakota produces 80% of the flaxseed grown in the U.S. and therefore has particular interest in expanding the demand for this crop.

NDSU plans to install a high capacity center pivot irrigation system that will cover approximately 10 acres at the Carrington Research-Extension Center in east-central North Dakota.  We intend to start operation of the machine in the 1999 season. The irrigation system will be capable of spatially-varied water applications and thus will provide several independent irrigation regimes to meet the needs of different crops and different research objectives.  An advantage of the ability to apply crop-specific irrigation amounts is that they allow us to study the interactions between water management and factors such as fertility, cultivars, disease, and other aspects of crop production.  By contrast, a single irrigation schedule for many crops may be counterproductive to optimum management of specific crops, such as when the high water rate needed by corn may enhance the disease incidence for dry edible beans.
 
We will study the effects of irrigation water management regimes, nitrogen fertility levels, and variety selection on the yields and quality of dry edible beans, potatoes, and vegetables.  We aim to provide dry edible bean plots with high, medium, and low amounts of irrigation.  Similarly, we want to provide optimal, excess, and deficient irrigation for fertility studies on potatoes and for trials of sweet corn, carrots, onions, and cabbage.  The irrigation system will be shown to producers at field days and tours.
 
The research team consists of Blaine Schatz, Director of the Carrington Research Extension Center; Tom Scherer and Aung Hla, Extension irrigation engineers; Ken Grafton, dry bean breeder; Jim Lorenzen, potato physiologist; Chiwon Lee, vegetable specialist; and Dean Steele, irrigation engineer.

• Vern Hofman led laboratory and field trials that found forward and rearward mounted spray nozzles provided significantly better grain head fungicide application for scab control than previous applications. This information was disseminated through the media. The demand for the spray equipment indicated this information was widely used.
• Variable-rate fertilizer application studies in which Vern Hofman is a co-investigator have found mixed results.  Some crops show added economic returns for variable application while another crop (wheat) shows added costs.
• Determining spray pattern swath widths and producing a uniform spray swath is beneficial for accurate pesticide application by air. Hofman completed testing and adjusting of about 30 planes this year that resulted in almost a million acres of improved pesticide application.
• George Maher taught five tractor and farm machinery safety schools to approximately 70 youth across North Dakota. Participants received safety education in several areas: tractor and farm machinery operation, hazards associated with the operation of tractors and farm machinery, motor vehicle safety on the road, and first aid practices.
• Power take off entanglement safety demonstrations that explained the hazards of PTO drive systems, the speed at which an entanglement occurs, first aid strategies, and entanglement prevention techniques were presented by George Maher to more than 1,000 people at farm safety fairs and meetings.
• A grain bin safety presentation that explained the hazards of a grain bin entrapment, the gripping strength of flowing grain, rescue strategies, and entrapment prevention techniques were presented by Maher to 900 youth and adults.
• A publication Ken Hellevang developed in response to the need for temporary grain storage was not only distributed in North Dakota, but by Extension Services in several other states.  Our web site on the topic was linked by several states.
• An extensive resource library on indoor air quality was placed in all county offices by Ken Hellevang to help with issues such as mold and moisture problems in the home. Microbial agents have been identified as a health risk in indoor air, including being cited as causal agents for asthma and allergies; the incidence of both are increasing.

Advances in computer mapping and global positioning systems are giving department faculty new tools for managing natural resources and improving farm management. The two primary tools are geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS.)  GIS computer programs  can be used to prepare maps that contain vast amounts of information about specific areas. GPS are satellite guidance systems developed by the military that are now used to guide everything from outdoor enthusiasts to fertilizer spreaders. These two systems are very powerful sources of information that can be used for research and decision-making.

As an example, John Nowatzki and Bruce Seelig use GIS mapping programs to explain and display assessment systems that predict potential contamination of water by agricultural chemicals. Seelig has developed assessment systems for pesticide contamination of surface and groundwater in North Dakota, and is currently developing similar assessment systems to predict potential contamination by nitrates.
 
Agricultural producers or others directly involved in applying pesticides or nitrates can use these computerized assessment systems to prepare maps of their fields. The maps will display areas of the fields in different colors based on the sensitivity of the area to the chemical. The assessment systems are based on detailed soil survey information available for each county in North Dakota. Individuals can access information for several North Dakota counties on the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department homepage at: http://www.ageng.ndsu.nodak.edu:83/.
 
The following counties are currently on this site: Dickey, Golden Valley, Griggs, McIntosh, Ransom and Williams. Rolette and Towner counties will be added later this month. Nowatzki is also working with Extension irrigation engineer Tom Scherer to prepare detailed maps of irrigable soil in North Dakota.
 
GPS technology is being used by Vern Hofman in precision agriculture applications. Hofman has developed educational programs to explain and demonstrate GPS and GIS technology uses for crop yield monitoring and soil fertility testing. Hofman and Extension soil science specialist Dave Franzen are demonstrating precision agriculture techniques at the USDA Agricultural Research Station in Mandan, ND.  In the Red River Valley, they are demonstrating sugarbeet yield monitoring with GPS units mounted on sugarbeet harvesters.
 
The department has educational offerings both on and off campus. Lowell Disrud teaches a three-credit precision agriculture class each year. The class is designed to give students a working knowledge of the technology and its application so they can use those tools on the job after graduation. Off-campus workshops are being offered to instruct people in GIS and GPS technology applications in agriculture and natural resources.

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Due to budget constraints, it is not possible for us to make a special mailing to ask you to update your address and provide information about changes in jobs or responsibilities and significant events in your personal or professional life.   But, be assured, we still like to receive this type of information and share it with our alums.  Just drop us a card or letter, or better yet, stop in for a visit if you get in the area.  We'd love to hear from you and enjoy the opportunity to visit.  If you have an e-mail address, please share that with us.  It is an easy and inexpensive way for us to communicate.  An easy way to give us your e-mail address is by visiting our World Wide Web Alums Homepage at: http://www.ageng.ndsu.nodak.edu/alumni.html

 

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Alumni Profile:
Brian Foner, BS ABEN 1997 

Brian was raised on a dairy farm near Alexandria, Minnesota.  He graduated from NDSU with a BS degree in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in May, 1997.  While at NDSU, he worked part-time for the Extension Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering faculty.
 
Since graduation, Brian has been employed by Parker Hannifin Corporation - Quick Coupling Division. His official title is “Engineer 1.”  He has design control of Pioneer Agricultural Couplings. This includes new product development, maintenance of existing products, cost reductions, product returns, manufacturing issues, problem solving, product improvement reviews, involvement in cross-functional teams (design FMEA's, process FMEA's) and contacts with all major OEM's. He is currently working on a product improvement of a diagnostic coupling for Caterpillar.
 
Brian spends about 50% of his work day on drafting, production, quality, management, and sales. The rest of his day is spent on product returns and new product development. He uses Mechanical Desktop 3.01 that utilizes AutoCAD R14. Parker Hannifin works in solids. Because they only work with axis symmetrical parts, they don't need a major CAD package.
 
Brian uses his engineering design books for calculations on fatigue factors or stress concentration factors. All designs are tested in their lab for pressure drop, burst pressure, spillage, and impulse life. This information is used for safety factors and product specifications. Very few engineering equations can be used for flow of a fluid through a compressed spring, around a valve, or through multiple angled flow holes.
 
Brian and his wife make their home in Bloomington, MN.

Alumni Notes:

Clarence F. Becker (BSAE, 1943; MSAE, 1944) is retired from the University of Wyoming and USDA-CSRS and is living in Mesa, AZ.  He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wyoming and an Adjunct Professor of Ag Engr at the University of Arizona.  He occasionally accepts short term assignments with USDA.
 
Bruce Berlinger (BSABEN, 1997) was with the Case harvester group in East Moline, IL.  In January he transferred to the Fargo facility.
 
Norman Buckhouse (MS AE, 1963) is a senior product engineer for Exmark Manufacturing Company in Beatrice, NE.  He is a member of the OPEI Commercial Turfcare & Noise subcommittee.  He is also a member of the ASAE PM-52 Committee.
 
Ted Brevik (BSAE), retired extension engineer at University of Wisconsin - Madison and his wife returned to NDSU for a visit in May, 1998.  Ted and his wife now live in Sun City West, AZ.  Ted is an avid golfer.

Greg Davidson (BSAE, 1983) is now with the consulting firm of Henning Metz Hartford and Associates in Fargo.  Greg was previously with Summers Mfg in Devils Lake. He will have the opportunity to use the experience he gained as an engineer with Cargill.
 
Denis Ebodaghe (BSAM, 1977; MSAM, 1979) is continuing in his capacity as National Program Leader for Small Farms and as Director of CSREES Small Farm Program.  He received his Ph D in agronomy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1986.
 
Robert J. Fritel (BS AE, 1968) is a busy guy.  Besides farming, he is involved in steel bin construction, is a wheat commissioner from Pierce County, serves on the Board of Directors of the Benson County Credit Union and is a trustee of his church.  He has also served on the Wolford school board and ASCS committee.
 
Richard Guest (MSAE, 1958) passed away on February 24, 1997 after two successive liver transplants. Richard was a retired professor and extension specialist at Cornell.
 
Arlee C. Hanson (BS AE, 1934) passed away in May, 1996.
 
Marvin Jensen (BS AE, 1951; MS AE, 1952) hopes to complete the 2nd edition of the ASAE Monograph on Design and Operation of Farm Irrigation Systems.  He continues as Advisory Editor for Irrigation Science and is still active in several ASCE Task Committees.
 
Deborah (McCarty) Kinzler (BSAE, 1986) is now with John Deere as a Business Analyst/Computer Programmer in Horicon, WI.  Her husband, Randy (BSAM, 1983) is an Estimator with RuMar Manufacturing Corp.  They have a daughter and a son.
 
Tim Nebosis (BS ABEN, 1996) is a Product Development Engineer with Illinois Tool Works - Heartland in Alexandria, MN.  ITW Heartland manufacturers gear inspection and burnishing equipment for the automotive and agricultural industries.
 
Mark Otteson (BS AE, 1980) has been an engineer with Hiniker Company at Mankato, MN for 11 years. His responsibilities have changed from sand and salt spreaders to row crop and field cultivators.  He is active in his church and is a member of the ASAE PM-42 committee.
 
Richard Pfeiffer (BSAM, 1969) wrote to remind us that he was the 1969 Grand Champion of the Agricultural Engineering Show.  His project was an “Automatic Windshield Wiper (now fairly standard equipment on cars and trucks and known as intermittent windshield wiper control).  He also recognized Professor Emeritus Witz for his success.  Richard farms at Fessenden, ND raising small grains.
 
Glen Running (BSAE, 1989) is now with the Ag Division of Caterpillar as a senior design engineer in DeKalb, IL.  Previously, Glen was with Ditch-Witch in Oklahoma.
 
Jerry Saude (BS AE, 1975) is a senior project engineer and team leader for the sprayer group with Willmar Manufacturing.  He works on hydrostatic driven post-emerge sprayers.  The machine series consists of 10 four wheel drive models with ratings of 125 to 250 horsepower.  Booms range in size from 60 - 120 ft.
 
Larry Schmidt (BSAE, 1979) is Director of Engineering at Schwing America, Inc.  Schwing is the world’s leading manufacturer of concrete pumps.  It is a German owned company located in St. Paul, MN.
 
Edward Sevigny (BS ABEN, 1997) notes that he has moved into Grafton and was married April 4, 1998 to Stacie Olson, a 1997 NDSU English graduate.  He also notes that he “loves” farming.
 
Harold Solberg (BS Mech Ag, 1957) has retired from Quick Cable Corporation.  He served as Construction Manager for a $1.4 million addition and remodeling project for his church in Racine, WI. Lowell Solien (BSAE, 1981) was promoted to Lt. Colonel in November, 1997.  He served in the US Peace Keeping forces in the former Republic of Yugoslavia during 1996.
 
Donald T. Sorlie (BS AE, 1955) retired on December 31, 1996 after 33 years with Deere (Des Moines Works).  The last several years he was a senior design engineer on tillage tools.

Roger L. Thompson (BS AE, 1971) is a Project Engineer with the USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service in Grand Forks, ND.  He has worked for the past 16 years as a project engineer for various watershed and resource conservation projects in northeastern North Dakota.
 
Alan W. Wieczorek (MS Mech Ag, 1974) is regional sales manager for Belarus Machinery, Inc.  He is responsible for the development of a dealer organization to sell and service farm equipment in Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado.  He holds a private pilot license.  He flies the four state region recruiting new dealers and servicing existing dealers.  He is married and has two daughters.

Vern Hofman
    Certificate of Commendation for Excellence in Extension Education, Senior Career NDSU Extension Service

Dean Steele
    RRV ASAE Section Member of the Year
 
Suranjan Panigrahi
    Researcher of the Year Award, College of Engineering and Architecture, NDSU
 
Jurgen Schwarz
    Excellence in Teaching Award, Early Career, College of Agriculture, NDSU
 
Ken Hellevang and Leslie Backer
    ASAE Educational Aids Blue Ribbon Award, MWPS-29 Dry Grain Aeration System Design Handbook
 
Ken Hellevang, Tom Sherer, Vern Hofman, Bruce Seelig, George Maher,
and John Nowatzki
    USDA/CSREES Honor Award, `97 Flood Emergency Response
 
George Maher
    Meritorius Service Award, Epsilon Sigma Phi

The teaching faculty just finished a pleasant but difficult task.  We just selected the students who will receive departmental scholarships.  It is a pleasant task; selecting a deserving student to receive a financial reward to help him/her with expenses incurred by preparing for the future.  It is a very warm feeling helping someone reach for their future.  At the same time, it is a difficult because there are so many high quality students with tremendous financial need and so few scholarships available for them.  The quality of our students keeps going up.  Their expenses continue to increase.  Most students not only go to school full-time, but they also work 20 hours or more per week.  And, they still have to borrow money to go to school.  Many students will graduate with a school debt load of near $20,000.

As faculty, we see this as a significant problem for our students.  We see it every day.  As a result, many of the faculty give money to one or more of our departmental scholarships.  I would invite you to consider giving to a scholarship and help a deserving student.  We guarantee it will make you feel good.  It will also make some of our students feel good.  Two scholarships you might consider contributing to are the Holman-Breuer Scholarship and the Ernie French Scholarship.  Harold Holman was a long time professor in the soil and water specialization area.  Peter Breuer was an extension agricultural engineer in the soil and water area.  Ernie French was a graduate of our department and was a long time superintendent of the Williston Experiment Station.  Or, if you want, you could just contribute to the department.  Be assured that your contributions will be used for the benefit of our students.  If you give to NDSU through the Development Foundation, you can be sure our students benefit by simply indicating that you want your gift to be used by the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department.  It may be that your company will even match your gift.

Because of tight budgets, we always can use donations of state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation.  If your company is in a position to donate such items, we would certainly be interested in working with you.  Often such donations serve as good public relations for the company as well as serving as a tax deduction.  Please contact us if you feel there are some opportunities in this area.