by CRISPINA CHONG

Daily Staff Writer

Stewart Melvin has been named the new head of the Iowa State Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department.

Melvin, a native of Bloomfield, has been with ISU since 1970. “Most of my work here has been extension work. I supplied research information to people outside the university. My major classroom has been the whole country,” Melvin said.

Melvin has done ag research in many areas of the world. His work has drawn praise from his colleagues.

“I don’t think there are many people in Iowa who know as much about crop and animal production as Dr. Melvin,” said fellow professor, James Baker.

Melvin said he hopes to continue the department’s reputation as the premier agricultural engineering department in the United States and to attract more students to this field of study.

“Ours is the first agricultural engineering department in the world,” Melvin said. “We are one of the top three departments listed in the Gourman Report. All our students were hired before they graduated. This gives an indication of a quality program.”

The Gourman Report ranks specific majors of universities around the United States.

Now called the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department, it offers degrees in Agricultural Systems Technology and Agricultural Engineering. Its goal is to teach students “to apply engineering principles to agricultural problems,” said Melvin. “People think it leads to on-farm employment, but most people who graduate go into application — where there is not a lot of farm type activity.”

“If people have an interest in engineering and agriculture, then this is a good curriculum. There is a good future here,” he said