Scott Osborn, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering, has been named Engineer of the Year by the Arkansas section of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

Osborn, who is a licensed professional engineer, was selected for the award because of the impact of his engineering research and associated inventions and equipment designs. Osborn holds 12 patents related to dissolving gases into water for waste and drinking water treatment, ecological restoration, odor control and pH adjustment. In 2004, Osborn and Marty Matlock, professor of biological and agricultural engineering, co-founded the company BlueInGreen. Osborn calculated that the company has contributed approximately $18.2 million to the economy of Arkansas through sales revenue, grants and investor funding.

Osborn served as president and chief technology officer for BlueInGreen during its early years as a U of A startup.  He also worked with a team of BlueInGreen engineers to design and implement their first few commercial installations. BlueInGreen's systems are currently being used at 27 installations in fourteen states and Canada. In cooperation with Core Brewing Co. in Springdale, Osborn is currently working to develop and implement another invention to make beer carbonation cheaper and better for the environment, while also improving quality of the beer.

"Dr. Osborn is a gifted engineer-educator who is a passionate and effective teacher," said Lalit Verma, head of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. "He has patents to his credit and is a strong advocate for entrepreneurship and technology transfer. He utilizes his industry experience in preparing students to be successful engineers to address problems in sustainable food, water and energy systems."