Engineering Professor Elected President of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Society

Photo Submitted

Lalit Verma

Lalit Verma, head of the department of biological and agricultural engineering, has been elected as the 2013-2014 president of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Verma, who is currently serving as president-elect of ASABE, will take office as president in July.

“Professional societies play a key role in the success of all of our disciplinary programs. We are pleased and proud that Dr. Verma has been honored by his colleagues to serve in this leadership role for the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. It is a strong reflection on his talents and on the national reputation of the program at the University of Arkansas,” said Mark Cochran, vice president of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers is a scientific and educational organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food and biological systems. Founded in 1907 and headquartered in St. Joseph, Mich., ASABE has members in more than 100 countries. ASABE members serve in industry, academia and public service and are uniquely qualified to determine and develop more efficient and environmentally sensitive methods of cultivating food, fiber and timber for an ever-increasing world population.

“The College of Engineering is pleased to see another faculty member recognized at the national level,” said Terry Martin, interim dean of the College of Engineering. “Dr. Verma is an outstanding faculty member and department head. He will make an excellent president of ASABE.”

“It is an honor for the University of Arkansas to have Dr. Lalit Verma serve in this key leadership position determining future directions for the discipline of biological engineering,” added Mike Vayda, dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Verma came to the University of Arkansas in 2000. Before that, he served as the head of the department of biological engineering at Louisiana State University. He is a fellow of ASABE, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the Institute of Biological Engineering. Verma is also internationally recognized for his research in rice and forage post-harvest engineering and technology.