The Lead with ASABE

This episode is a group conversation with Deepak Keshwani, Professor and Associate Dean, Academic Programs, College of Engineering, Utah State University; Jenny Keshwani, Professor, Biological Engineering, Utah State University; and Marybeth Lima, P.E., Professor and Department Chair, Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Louisiana State University, about why they propose a sixth CBSI principle should be added encompassing human-centric, non-extractive design. The group discusses mental models and how the sixth principle would be applied to designing circular bioeconomy systems.

In this episode, ASABE Past President Sherry Hunt, Research Leader, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), shares highlights of her presidential year and why she believes ASABE has a bright future ahead.

South Dakota State University celebrated its centennial of their Agriculture & Biosystems Engineering program in 2025. In this episode, ABE Chair Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan discusses how the program has evolved over the last 100 years.

In this episode, Brian Strobel, P.E., Global Market Advisor, JYGA Technologies, Knoxville, Tenn., discusses how technology and AI are changing the livestock industry, including how labor is managed, how animal welfare is measured, how this technology is opening the door to bringing new employees into the agriculture and livestock industries who may not have a background in those areas.

In this episode, Christina Sebald, Chair, Agricultural Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Germany, discusses innovative strategies for upskilling the next generation in agricultural engineering, focused on modernizing agricultural education.

In this episode, Kingsly Ambrose, Ph.D. and Professor, Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University, shares his ag engineering journey and his unique experiences in academia. Ambrose shares what has inspired him during his career and how ASABE has played a role in advancing his career ambitions.

We've all heard of electronic waste, but what is it really, and how do we sustainably recover metals from e-waste? In this episode, Jian Shi, Professor of Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, discusses why e-waste is a problem, what traditional metal extraction techniques are available, what kind of metals can be extracted from e-waste and more.

In this episode, Manoj Karkee, Professor, Department of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, discusses his research on using automated drones to deter pest birds in orchard and vineyard settings. Birds are very smart creatures and eventually become immune to other pest deterrent methods, so automated drones are an additional tool for orchard and vineyard owners to employ.

In this episode, learn more about coffee production in Puerto Rico from Francisco Monroig-Saltar, Director, Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, University of Puerto Rico. Monroig discusses coffee harvesting methods and labor shortages in cultivating the world's favorite beverage.

In this episode, we hear from Delta Dirt Distillery founder and CEO, Harvey Williams, as he shares his journey in agriculture engineering and building a successfuly family distilling business in Arkansas. Williams shares how his ag engineering expertise was essential in setting up the distillery, how he navigates family business challenges, how the family uses sweet potatoes and corn to make award-winning vodka, and more.