Kurt A Rosentrater, Ph.D., SEA

I am a food and bioprocess engineer. Over the years, I have worked as an engineer and a research scientist in private industry, government laboratories, and academia. These experiences inform my approaches to teaching, research, and outreach.

In general, my professional interests focus on creating sustainable design and operations for all aspects of agricultural and food systems. These include the grain processing, human food, animal feed, bioproduct, and biorenewable industries. I aim to develop, analyze, and optimize processes and products that maximize value and minimize negative consequences for all stakeholders, including producers, consumers, and the environment.

To accomplish this, I apply the principles of physics, chemistry, and engineering to biological systems. I am currently developing and assessing production, transportation, manufacturing processes, and end-of-life options for various bioprocessing supply chains. I also use techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) to examine and optimize these systems and supply chains and to make them more sustainable.

My work ranges from the laboratory scale, to the factory scale, to the farm scale, and even to larger ecosystem scales. I conduct research and provide training and outreach within Iowa, throughout the Midwest U.S., as well as in many countries throughout the world. I also teach food systems and sustainability at two universities in France.
I serve as faculty advisor for the Biological Systems Engineering club as well.