ABE

Tucked away in the far southern part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus is the Food Science Pilot Plant, a flexible, state-of-the-art space for food processing.

The Center for Digital Agriculture at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is being awarded $750,000 by the USDA-NIFA Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) program for a proposal titled “Digital Applications of Technology in Agriculture for Sustainable, Multidisc

The undergraduate program in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earned the No. 4 spot in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings, continuing its longstanding place among the nation’s leading agricultural and biological engineering programs.

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Each year, vehicles, machinery, environmental hazards, and other incidents cause thousands of injuries and hundreds of fatalities. A thorough understanding of the main risks is key to preventing accidents and promoting agricultural safety.

Prasanta K. Kalita, professor of agricultural and biological engineering in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences with a joint appointment in The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, died on July 5. 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign student Xylia Greeson is a recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

“I didn’t initially believe it,” Greeson said about when she first received the announcement. “It was a very pleasant surprise, and it will open so many more doors in the field. Being at Illinois, and now receiving this fellowship, has been a dream come true. I’m so thankful and blessed.” 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research professor John Reid, also executive director of the Center for Digital Agriculture, received the prestigious 2026 Cyrus Hall McCormick-Jerome Increase Case Gold Medal. 

 The aviation industry accounts for a large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions. Biobased, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can mitigate climate impacts, but transitioning to SAF faces critical supply chain constraints.

Soils that are exposed to prolonged drought often develop desiccation cracks, which impact soil properties and exacerbate moisture loss through evapotranspiration. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines the evolution of soil cracking and how cracks interact with storage and movement of water in the soil. The findings can help improve hydrological models essential for water management. 

The Illini Pullers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign secured first place in the 2026 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition on May 28th through 31st where teams design ¼ scale tractors throughout the year that are put to the test by a panel of industry experts at the competition.