Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering Labs: MBB
Description of Request
Submitted By: Robert Peterson, LRES Department Head
The College of Agriculture and the Department of Land Resources & Environmental Sciences request the allocation of research wet laboratory space to support two new tenure-track faculty members in the Agricultural & Biosystems and Bioprocessing Engineering programs—an emerging area focused on value-added agricultural product design and engineering. Dr. Shivali Banerjee has been hired and will begin in January 2026, with a second faculty member arriving in August 2026. Because this is a new program, co-locating the two faculty laboratories is essential to establishing an integrated and cohesive process engineering research and education environment. Space Planning staff identified recently vacated spaces in the Molecular Biosciences Building (MBB) as a viable space that can meet program needs within the necessary timeframe. This location also creates an opportunity to place the new Agricultural Biosystems researchers in proximity to Precision Agriculture faculty, supporting collaboration among programs with complementary research interests. To support Dr. Banerjee, the laboratory in MBB 210 is recommended for allocation. This space includes water access, a fume hood, and an associated lab service area in Room 251, along with an adjacent office in room 211 suitable for postdoctoral researchers and affiliated staff. To maintain departmental connectivity, Dr. Banerjee’s faculty office will be located in Leon Johnson 309 near the Land Resources & Environmental Sciences administrative suite. The second new faculty hire would be assigned to the adjoining laboratory in room 248, with supporting lab services in room 250 and research affiliate office space in room 249. This configuration ensures strategic co-location of the two new faculty members, provides the laboratory and support spaces necessary for their research programs, and strengthens alignment across the College of Agriculture’s interdisciplinary initiatives
Resolution
Date: December 5, 2025
Space Management Committee has approved the allocation of Leon Johnson Hall 309, MBB 210, 211, and 251 to Dr. Shivali Banerjee, and the second lab space in MBB 248, 249, 250 to the incoming Ag Biosystems Engineering hire