For Dr. Amy Kaleita, agricultural and biosystems engineering was the perfect way to apply her interests in science, math and technology to problems that really matter, including food production, clean water, environmental quality and sustainability of working landscapes. Dr. Kaleita leads the nationally-ranked Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE) Department at Iowa State University as a professor and Larry & Bunita Buss Department Chair
She grew up in Pennsylvania, earning a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from Penn State, then completed a M.S. in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in hydrology, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering at University of Illinois, then joined Iowa State as a faculty member in 2003.
1. What brought you to Iowa State University and why have you stayed?
I saw the opportunity at Iowa State to work in a place where agriculture, engineering, and public impact all come together in a very real way. From the first moment I visited, I was struck by how authentic and mission-driven the faculty and staff were, which made me excited about the opportunity to be a part of that.
I’ve stayed because those first impressions have held true. Iowa State and ABE have given me the chance to work at the intersection of rigorous science, practical problem-solving, and student education in a way that is deeply satisfying. Over time, Iowa has also become home.
2. What makes Iowa State’s Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department unique?
ABE is unique in that we are broad by design, and excellent across that breadth. We have deep roots in agricultural engineering, but the department today spans engineering, technology, manufacturing, biological systems, safety, feed and grain systems, digital agriculture and environmental stewardship. Our students and faculty are working across agriculture, industry and living systems rather than staying inside a narrow disciplinary lane.
We are also unusual in being jointly rooted in both engineering and agriculture, which I think gives us the best of both worlds. That structure allows us to connect strong technical rigor with direct relevance to real-world systems and stakeholders. And we have a culture that is highly collaborative, across faculty, across programs and with industry.
Our national rankings are a nice testament to our great programs, but what matters even more to me is that our department has the people, facilities, partnerships and mindset to keep evolving while staying grounded in a strong land-grant mission.
One of the strengths of ABE is that students don’t just learn concepts in the abstract; they work in environments where those ideas are connected to industry needs, real technologies and emerging market opportunities. We do that through internships, hands-on courses and industry-connected projects. One of the most important ways our students engage with industry is through capstone design projects. In their final year, students work on real, industry-sponsored problems, collaborating directly with companies and clients to design, test and refine solutions that address real needs.
3. How will the work happening at ABE bring benefits to farmers in Iowa and around the world?
I’m really excited about the growing ability to connect data, engineering, biological understanding and human decision-making in ways that make agriculture both more productive and more sustainable. Agriculture is becoming more precise, more connected and more capable of responding to variability rather than treating every acre and every system the same. That creates opportunities not just for efficiency, but for resilience, environmental stewardship and better long-term outcomes.
Our work in ABE is important because it helps turn those possibilities into action by developing useful technologies and strategies for producers and communities. Whether we are working on next-generation vehicles and robotics, digital agriculture, feed and grain systems, animal production, manufacturing, safety, water quality or alternative production systems, the goal is the same: to develop knowledge, technologies and talented people who can improve real systems.
Iowa is an agricultural epicenter, but the innovations incubated here don’t just stay here. That is one of the things I value most about a land-grant engineering department: we can serve farmers in Iowa while also contributing solutions that matter nationally and globally.
4. What advice do you have for someone considering a move to Iowa?
Come to Iowa with curiosity and be ready to engage with a place where people care deeply about what they do and where they live. One of the things I’ve come to appreciate most is how closely connected work, community and place are here. That alignment is something I didn’t fully understand at first, but it’s a big part of the Iowa vibe.
5. Please recommend 3 things to do or places to go in Iowa.
Number one, go to the Iowa State Fair! It is one of the best expressions of what Iowa is all about, including agriculture and food, creativity and community – all in one place. I love planning what new fair food I’m going to try, doing people-watching and walking through the exhibits to see the range of talents on display. A few years ago, I decided to give it a go myself and I have since won several ribbons!
Second, visit Iowa’s state parks. Despite a lot of the landscape being sort of the same, Iowa has some really cool environmental diversity if you know where to look, and the state park system honors that. A few of my personal favorites are Ledges, Dolliver and Maquoketa Caves — each with a very different feel, from dramatic sandstone formations to hillside prairies to unique cave systems.
Three, get out to some scenic vistas over our water resources. The High Trestle Trail Bridge lit up over the Des Moines River at twilight is a magical moment! Another unique experience is to do the Rail Explorers out of Boone, where you can rail-bike over the Des Moines River and one of its tributaries. It’s a fun, memorable way to see the landscape from a completely different perspective.
Published July 2026.