Fulbright Scholar Program takes K-State professor to the Philippines to lecture on and study ways to modernize country's agriculture

Media Relations and Marketing
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-0117
Phone: 785-532-6415
Fax: 785-532-6418

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Source: Mark Schrock, mschrock@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Beth Bohn, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu

Friday, November 17, 2006

FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAM TAKES K-STATE PROFESSOR TO THE PHILIPPINES TO LECTURE ON AND STUDY WAYS TO MODERNIZE COUNTRY'S AGRICULTURE

MANHATTAN -- As a 2006-2007 Fulbright Scholar, Kansas State University's Mark Schrock will use his expertise in alternative and renewable fuels and machinery systems management to help the people of the Philippines find ways to modernize their agricultural industry.

A professor of biological and agricultural engineering, Schrock recently arrived in the Philippines and will stay through February 2007. His schedule includes lecturing and research.

"I'll be lecturing on general mechanization topics and machine design at the University of the Philippines in Los Banos," Schrock said. "Although I haven't been here long enough to verify it firsthand, all indications are that Philippine agriculture still uses copious amounts of manual labor. About 40 percent of the country's labor force works directly in agriculture, compared to 2 percent in the U.S.

"In addition, I hope to become involved with research on the production and harvesting of perennial oil crops, or biodiesel feedstock, that can be grown in the tropical places like the Philippines."

Around 800 U.S. faculty and professionals receive Fulbright grants each year to lecture and conduct research abroad; a similar number of foreign scholars also receive awards to come to the United States primarily as researchers. The Fulbright Scholar Program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department, with additional funding provided by the participating governments and host institutions in the United States and abroad. The private, nonprofit organization, the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, manages the program.

A first-time Fulbright Scholar, Schrock has been recognized nationally for his accomplishments in agricultural engineering by being named a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers in 2005.

His research has included development of technology for spatially variable agriculture and a system for using pulse-width modulation for metering anhydrous ammonia. His work in the develop of grain-flow sensors for combines has demonstrated the value of grain-yield maps; and his work with fuel efficiency and matching tractor power loads to engine performance has encouraged the development of closed-loop engine transmission management.

Schrock is the author or co-author of more than 75 journal articles and technical papers concerning agricultural energy, harvesting systems and fertilizer application. He also holds a patent for an apparatus that measures grain-flow mass in a harvesting machine. His many honors include the K-State College of Engineering Adviser of the Year award, K-State Myers-Alford Teaching Award, Kansas Section Member of the Year, a best paper award from the American Society of Agricultural Engineers and an educational award from Massey-Ferguson.

Schrock has worked with several award-winning student engineering and technology design teams from the K-State College of Education. He has advised or co-advised five first-place student teams in the AGCO national student design competition, and five first-place student teams in the national quarter-scale student tractor design competition.

He also has chaired or served on various committees of the American Society for Agricultural Engineers for more than 30 years. In addition, he is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Kansas Society of Professional Engineers, Soil and Water Conservation Society, American Society for Engineering Education and the American Solar Energy Society.

A K-State faculty member since 1973, Schrock was promoted to full professor in 1991. He earned a bachelor's in agricultural engineering and a doctorate in engineering, both from K-State. His master's, in mechanical engineering, is from the University of Illinois.