By Blake Jackson
The University of Kentucky’s Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering hosted the 2026 S1075 Symposium at the Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building, bringing together researchers, students and industry partners to explore technologies supporting a sustainable, circular bioeconomy.
The event marked the annual meeting of the S1075 Multistate Research Project, a nationwide partnership among land-grant universities studying biobased fuels, foods, feeds, materials and manufacturing systems.
Researchers combine expertise to develop technologies that convert renewable biological resources into useful products.
Hosted by Tyler Barzee, Ph.D., the symposium attracted 70 participants from 23 universities and organizations across 20 states. Speakers included representatives from USDA, universities, BioMADE and the U.S. Department of Energy.
“The annual symposium for this multistate project is critical for building collaborations in the U.S. to advance sustainable bioeconomy research. The networks created are particularly important for graduate students and early-career researchers,” said Barzee.
Student development was a major focus. Undergraduate researchers attended sessions, while graduate students presented projects during a poster competition.
Winners included students from the University of Kentucky, Purdue University and Auburn University, with research covering microalgae, bourbon waste, municipal solid waste, aquaponics and engineered biochar and related technologies.
“The poster competition was a great opportunity to share my research and receive valuable feedback from researchers with diverse expertise,” Suvro Talukdar, a UK BAE doctoral student said.
“Interactive discussions during the poster session were especially rewarding, providing new perspectives and encouraging me to think about my work from different angles. Experiences like this are especially valuable for students because they create opportunities to learn from others, expand professional networks and refine how we communicate our research.”
Participants toured the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits, while optional visits included UK’s Center for Applied Energy Research and Alltech’s headquarters.
Researchers discussed sustainable feedstocks, biomass conversion, biobased materials, circular systems and data-driven modeling.
“A very exciting aspect of the project this year is that our members are serving as guest editors of a special issue in the journal Bioresource Technology,” Barzee said.
The symposium also helped identify future research priorities and strengthen collaborations supporting U.S. agriculture, technology and rural communities.
Photo Credit: briana-fortunato
Categories: Kentucky, Education