A message from the Department Head
Despite a cold winter season, I have exciting (“hot”) news to share with you: Joe Moidl (VP in Innovation, Technology and Quality from General Mills) is elected to become our new Advisory Council Board Chair, and Mike Dillon (President of Lexington Manufacturing) is our new Vice Chair. Congratulations to Joe and Mike! We are very grateful to Pat Gruber (CEO of Gevo) for his leadership as the Board Chair in the past two years; Pat will continue to serve on our Board and support our department.
At a special “BBE Awards and Winter Celebration” this past December, the Department cherished several major faculty awards in 2024 (Omar Espinoza’s Excellence in Academic Unit Service Award; Jason Hill’s Distinguished McKnight University Professorship; Joe Magner’s Dave Ford Award; Roger Ruan’s National Academy of Inventors Fellow induction; Jiwei Zhang’s Richard C. Newman Art of Teaching Award). Our Communication & Admin Specialist, Rachel Kraft Mattson, received the 2024 Outstanding Civil Service/ Bargaining Unit Award to recognize her exceptional work performance and contributions to the department.
More recently, on February 11, Professor Roger Ruan was elected into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Roger is a highly accomplished scholar, entrepreneur, and disciplined leader who makes our world a more sustainable place. Election to the NAE is one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to engineers. His election into NAE and earlier induction to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) are strong testaments to his accomplishments. Continue reading Hua's message.
Hua Zhao, Professor and Head
Student Voices
Gopher super fan & sustainability enthusiast: Meet Paige Peugeot
From mentoring young STEM students to interning in environmental compliance, SSM undergraduate student Paige Peugeot is shaping her future in sustainability. Her passion for environmental work is evident in her academic pursuits, and her enthusiasm only continues to grow as she nears graduation in the Spring of 2025. One of the projects Paige is particularly excited about is the SSM Capstone project, which will serve as the culmination of her academic journey. "It’s a chance to dive deep into a project that pulls together everything we've learned in SSM," she says. "I’m excited to create something that can make a real difference."
Industry insights and career prospects at the 2025 TAPPI Summit
The Technical Association of Pulp and Paper (TAPPI) Student Summit is a premier conference designed to help students network and explore career opportunities within the pulp, paper, tissue, and packaging industries. This event provides a platform for students to engage with mentors, industry experts, and peers, fostering meaningful connections and professional development. A key focus of the summit is advancing knowledge on how these industries contribute to sustainable product innovation, shaping the future of the global forest products sector.
This year, the TAPPI Student Summit 2025 brought together 12 BBE students of all class years in St. Petersburg, Florida, for a weekend of professional exploration and team-building activities. These students are members of the Food and Bioproducts Engineering Organization (FABEO), the TAPPI student chapter at the University of Minnesota. Their participation was made possible through generous donations and creative fundraising efforts, such as custom coaster sales. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported and helped make this experience a reality for our students! Read more about the TAPPI Summit.
Student Spotlight
Sam Spaulding is a Sustainable Systems Management major in the Corporate Sustainability Systems specialization.
Learn about why Sam chose SSM!
Benjamin Weber is a Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering major in the Bioproducts Engineering specialization.
Learn about why Benjamin chose BBE!
BBE Discovery
The future of sustainable skyscrapers is wood
The very latest thing in high-rise building construction is… wood?
Since 2013, thousands of high-rise buildings have been built using timber, some of them 18-25 stories tall. You may have seen them and not realized their secret though, because, like concrete and steel buildings, the structure is not always visible. But these structures are not "stick built." They are made with super strong, stable and light Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT).
Like plywood, CLT is made from layers of wood set 90 degrees to each other. Unlike thin plywood, however, CLT uses 2x4 or 2x6 lumber for its layers. The result is a strong and stable structural material. Because of its large size, it's sometimes called mass timber. Prof. Omar Espinoza, a wood scientist, has been researching CLT at the University of Minnesota since 2011.
BBE searches for ways to remove forever chemicals from the environment
BBE researchers are pioneering innovative methods to remove harmful Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals, from the environment. PFAS, widely used in products like non-stick cookware and firefighting foam, are notoriously difficult to break down, posing long-term environmental and health risks. With the recent Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s ban on PFAS in select products, BBE scientists are exploring plant-based and fungal solutions to extract these toxic chemicals from soil, offering promising new approaches to mitigate contamination and protect ecosystems.
Impact of road salt and water softeners on the environment
Whether on snowy and icy Minnesota roadways or in the water softener in your home, salt use is common in daily life. Two University of Minnesota experts are available to discuss the lasting effects of salt use on natural resources and simple ways to be smarter with salt.
Sara Heger, a researcher and instructor in the Water Resources Center and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, discusses the often-overlooked water softeners — another significant contributor to salt in our waterways.
BBE joins U of M Day at the Capitol
BBE Professor Ce Yang and staff member Erik Joerres joined the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences for U of M Day at the Capitol on Feb. 18, 2025. Yang, alongside her robotic dog and drones, represent one of Minnesota’s most promising industries—precision agriculture. Research in precision agriculture has the power to increase food security while protecting the planet.
Alumni Spotlight
Alexis Lipstein
Bachelor of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering
Awards & Honors
Professor Roger Ruan elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Professor Ruan is widely recognized for his research in biomass and solid waste conversion, including plastic waste pyrolysis and gasification for the production of chemicals, materials, fuels, and energy. His work extends to innovative wastewater treatment solutions, airborne pathogen disinfection, catalytic non-thermal plasma, microwave and photocatalytic technologies, and food engineering advancements. His research has resulted in significant contributions to engineering knowledge, with over 43,000 citations, an h-index of 106, and an i10-index of 531. Dr. Ruan is also a Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (Class of 2023), and a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).
Staff member Rachel Kraft Mattson receives 2024 BBE Civil Service Outstanding Service Award
Rachel Kraft Mattson is the recipient of the 2024 BBE Civil Service/Bargaining Unit Outstanding Service Award! This award recognizes Rachel's outstanding work performance and exceptional contributions to the department in her role as a Communications and Admin Specialist.
Upcoming Events & Announcements
BBE Gala
We cordially invite friends of BBE to attend an evening dinner event that is dedicated to BBE Departmental scholarship fundraising. All proceeds will go to support BBE and SSM undergraduate students. The event will feature a cocktail hour with a self-guided tour of the St. Paul campus Bell Museum (natural history museum), a presentation of Distinguished BBE Alumni Awards, and a plated dinner.
We welcome industry donors, corporate foundations, families, and individuals to pledge different levels of sponsorship to the scholarship fund.
Individual tickets are $150 per plate ($80 tax deductible)
One ticket to the event will include Bell Museum admission, a plated dinner, two drink tickets and parking.
Space is limited, please register by April 17th.If you or your organization have interest in supporting scholarships in the department, we encourage you to consider becoming an event sponsor.
More information on BBE Gala sponsorship can be found here.
Nominate a BBE alumnus for our Distinguished & Early Alumni Awards
The Department is now accepting nominations for the Distinguished Alumni Awardand the Early Career Alumni Award—two honors that celebrate outstanding alumni making an impact in their fields.
- Distinguished Alumni Award – Recognizes a BBE graduate who has achieved professional distinction in industries, academia, government, or non-profits. Eligible nominees must have earned their degree through BBE or its predecessor departments.
- Early Career Alumni Award – Honors an emerging leader in Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering or Sustainable Systems Management who has demonstrated excellence in research, education, policy, or management. Eligible nominees must have graduated within the past 10 years.
Nominations are open to all, including self-nominations!
Submit your nomination by Thursday, March 20, 2025. Awardees will be honored at the BBE Scholarship Gala on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
The Erosion and Stormwater Management Certification Program is busy training engineers, scientists, and site managers on erosion and stormwater management rules, regulations, and best practices. Because the winter is typically a slower time for construction, it's a great time for those in the industry to complete their state-required training. The Regulatory Enforcement class that will be held on April 30th is a unique course offered by the Erosion Program. The course was created to provide staff from municipalities and regulatory agencies a forum to share knowledge and to "calibrate" compliance/non-compliance with each other. The course is a mix of classroom presentations and exercises, discussion forums, and a field inspection exercise. The class is taught by Erosion Program staff and staff from local regulatory agencies. Register for the April 30th Regulatory Enforcement course.
Interested in supporting BBE?
Give to our BBE student scholarships today
Planned giving with the University
Planned gifts enable donors to accomplish their charitable and other goals by using estate or tax planning techniques to provide for charity and heirs in a way that maximizes the gift and minimizes taxes. Donors can make a planned gift by including the University in their will or trust, or by designating the U as a beneficiary of their retirement plan, life insurance policy, or other account. Some planned gifts can provide income to the donors or to others. Planned gifts can also be outright — when a donor makes a gift of real estate, tangible personal property, or other non-cash assets.