Take Five!
Great inspiration can come from a simple conversation, so,
to keep you inspired, ASABE is pleased to offer this series of
casual interviews with Society members. This month, spend a few
moments getting acquainted with. . .
Klein E. Ileleji
Associate Professor & Extension Engineer
Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Purdue University, West Lafeyette, Indiana
Born/raised: Kaduna, Nigeria
Current home: West Lafayette, Indiana
Education: BEng, agricultural engineering (1992),
University of Ilorin, Nigeria; MPS, applied economics and business
management, Institute of Economic Studies in Nitra, Slovakia; PhD,
agricultural engineering, Slovak Agricultural University, Nitra,
Slovakia
With what kind of projects are you involved? My
current research efforts focus on three primary areas:
- Logistics and particle technology for biomass feedstocks -
developing biobased carriers from biomass, developing improved
feeding/conveying systems for biomass feedstocks, and developing
efficient logistics systems for biomass feedstocks.
- Post-harvest engineering of wet biofeedstocks - mycotoxin
reduction in wet coproducts and improving the shelf-life of wet
coproducts.
- Food security - developing a low-cost crop dryer for
small-scale farmers in developing countries, developing
improved methods for storing grains in the humid
tropics, and capacity building in the commodity grain sector in
sub-Saharan Africa.
- Global engineering design - Working with a team of faculty and
students to help develop a small hydropower station in a rural
community in Cameroon, an EPA-P3 funded Phase-II project.
What was it about the discipline that drew you to
agricultural and biological engineering? Ag and
biological engineering wasn't my first career choice initially;
aviation was. However, the major driver for me choosing ABE as
a profession is the impact the profession has on current global
challenges. Having grown up in an environment where you see hunger
and poverty around you, you can't help to think about what you can
do to make a change and impact many lives, most of whom depend on
the land as their source of livelihood. It is obvious ABE stands
out from this perspective. For example, of the eight U.N.
Millennium Development Goals, five are directly impacted by the
efforts of our profession. So, we have an opportunity to make an
impact globally.
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