Ohio State is on the forefront of the next generation of space research. And yes, some of that research does involve growing cosmic plants. In this episode, the Now at Ohio State podcast talk with two experts who are helping pave the way for a new era of space exploration and discovery — and how those findings are improving our lives down here on planet Earth.
Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) faculty Dee Jepsen was recently named as the 2025 "Leader in the Field" by the Journal of Agromedicine, a publication showcasing research on agricultural health, medicine and safety in terms of behavior, mental health, climate change, rural healthcare, epidemiology, policy and technology.
Presenting research internationally as a student offers invaluable opportunities for academic growth and global networking. It not only enhances visibility within the global research community but also exposes students to diverse perspectives, fostering collaboration and innovation across borders.
Climate change is altering weather patterns, leading to more frequent and intense rainfall events that place increasing strain on community stormwater systems. In 2022, the Sustainability Institute (SI) at Ohio State announced a new collaboration with Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), a provider of water management solutions for stormwater and onsite septic wastewater systems, to study the impacts of urban stormwater management, engage student engineers, and promote campus collection of recycled plastic, a material used in ADS pipe.
Currently, the disposal of food waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, as decomposition in landfills releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and incineration produces carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Plastic pollution is an environmental threat that continues to impact sustainability efforts not only in Ohio, but the world. While the material itself is very useful, it proves quite resistant to natural degradation, contributing to major challenges to global waste management.
Polyethylene (PE) plastic specifically is a leading contributor to pollution, since it is by far the most highly produced at 27% of global plastic production. PE is commonly found in plastic bags, food containers, bottles, and water pipes.
Sustainability is one of the most urgent issues of our time, and a priority for undergraduate education at The Ohio State University. Its complexities pose a significant challenge to the traditional division of knowledge in higher education, requiring Ohio State to embrace new forms of collaborative and transdisciplinary learning.
Providing hands-on learning opportunities and making good use of university resources for the advancement of student success are two things that the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) at The Ohio State University does exceptionally well.
The department recently introduced the Digital Earthworks Sandbox, a nine acre plot of land located at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center to give students across all three majors adequate laboratory space outside of the classroom.
Each year, the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) at The Ohio State University awards over $100,000 in scholarships to its undergraduate and graduate students, helping them in their academic endeavors both in the classroom and out.
This past summer, biological engineering major Ben Prochaska made good use of these generous gifts by helping him pay for a humanitarian engineering trip to Tanzania, where he worked on a long term program aimed at delivering clean water to the village of Marwa.
Bryce Schott, a senior agricultural engineering major in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE), recently completed his summer internship at CNH, a global leader in the agricultural and construction equipment industry. The internship provided Schott with an invaluable opportunity to immerse himself in real-world projects and gain direct experience in a corporate environment.
