Tag Archives: Jason de Koff

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU Professor Receives State, National Recognitions for Works in Extension and Outreach

August 29, 2016 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A Tennessee State University professor, known for his work with farmers and Extension agents throughout Tennessee, has received multiple awards from the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists, and the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

Jason de Koff, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, received the Early Career Award, Achievement Award, and Communication Award from TAAA&S. The awards were presented in May at the organization’s annual meeting in Sevierville, Tennessee.

In July, de Koff, now in his sixth year at TSU, was given the NACAA Achievement Award and the Search for Excellence in Crop Production Award at the group’s annual meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas.

“I am quite honored by these awards,” de Koff said. “I plan to continue to represent TSU and Tennessee by providing my research and experiences to those who need them.”

The Early Career Award is the second for de Koff. In 2015, he won the prestigious American Society of Agronomy Early Career Professional Award for his contribution to the field of agronomy in education and research.

A professor of agronomy and soil science, de Koff’s primary area of research is on bioenergy crop production, with specific emphasis on crops like switchgrass and winter canola.

His extension program provides educational training opportunities to Extension agents as well as demonstration workshops on biodiesel production to youth and farmers.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 25 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

School Teaches Farmers to Brew Own Biodiesel

December 15, 2015 Emmanuel Freeman

Courtesy: Domestic Fuel

Cheatham-County-High-School2 — Dr. de Koff, professor of Bioenergy Crop Production, and Project Director for the MBED demonstrates biodiesel production to students at Cheatham County High School on Sept. 19, 2014.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Farmers are known to be a pretty independent breed, and a school is teaching them to be energy independent by brewing their own biodiesel. This story from RFD-TV says Tennessee State University’s Agricultural Research and Education Center has a unique outreach program that teaches farmers about making their own on-farm biodiesel.

“This is something where they can grow it, and they can make it themselves and they can use it on the farm,” says Jason de Koff, an assistant professor in agronomy and soil science at Tennessee State University. The school’s mobile demonstration trailer – think of it as a workshop on wheels – is making waves across the volunteer state.

“We were awarded a grant by the USDA back in 2012,” de Koff explains. “The grant was to create a demonstration that we could use to talk to farmers about producing their own biodiesel on the farm.”

TSU created this mobile biodiesel demonstration trailer at the university’s Agricultural Research and Education Center…where they even grow their own canola.

“The reason why we wanted to do this,” says de Koff, “is because we’ve estimated that anywhere between 1 percent and 3 percent of the farm acreage can be devoted to growing some of the oilseed crops for biodiesel production. The farmer can produce enough biodiesel from that to power their diesel equipment for the entire year.

“The canola seeds are stored here inside this bin and then they funnel their way down through this tunnel on the equipment. You can see that the seeds are then pressed for their oil, dripping down into this container. Down here on the end is everything that’s left over, something that can break off and be used in your animal feed. Once we’ve got the oil from the seed press, we can take it and put it in this biodiesel processor. This is where the actual conversion and actual production of biodiesel take place.”

The article points out that the cost to produce biodiesel on the farm is just $2.90 per gallon, a savings from buying at the pump. And farmers can apply for a Rural Energy for America grant program to help pay for 25 percent of the brewing equipment costs.

EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Tennessee State University Professor Wins Prestigious American Society of Agronomy Award

June 24, 2015 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A Tennessee State University professor, noted for his mobile biodiesel demonstration to farmers across the state, has won the prestigious American Society of Agronomy Early Career Professional Award for 2015. Dr. Jason de Koff, assistant professor in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, was recognized for outstanding contribution to the field of agronomy in education and research.

The award will be formally presented at the ASA’s awards ceremony during the scientific society’s annual international meeting Nov. 15-18 in Minneapolis.

“I am very honored to win this award,” de Koff said. “Receiving this kind of acknowledgement means I am making important contributions in my field.”

De Koff, now in his fifth year at TSU, has received more than $1.3 in grant funding as principal investigator and co-PI. His responsibilities in extension and research focus on using switchgrass and winter canola for bioenergy production. He is a research-focus group leader for 20 faculty members, and serves as assistant program leader in the Cooperative Extension Program at TSU. As a state extension specialist, he has developed a series of workshops, videos, factsheets and a mobile demonstration for on-farm biodiesel production.

“Dr. Jason de Koff is very deserving of this ASA award,” said Dr. Samuel N. Nahashon, interim chair of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at TSU. “He is one of our outstanding faculty who is well-rounded in teaching, research and outreach. He has developed courses, secured funding and established an excellent program in bioenergy, an effort that is benefitting our students and stakeholders.”

The ASA Early Career Professional Award, which comes with a $2,000 honorarium, recognizes young professionals who have made outstanding contributions in agronomy within seven years of completing their final degree.

De Koff received his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 2008. He came to TSU in 2010 after post-doctoral work with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

“I plan to continue my efforts in extension, research and teaching to enhance opportunities for both TSU students and Tennessee farmers,” de Koff said.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 45 undergraduate, 24 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Hosts Biofuel Technology Workshops For Local Students, Educators

July 7, 2014 Emmanuel Freeman

Dr. Jason de Koff, assistant professor of Bioenergy Crop Production, instructs middle school students while they practice a handheld biofuel conversion. The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences hosted a series of Biofuel Technology workshops for tips, pointers and helpful information on teaching the emerging field of biofuels. (courtesy photo)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences hosted a series of Biofuel Technology Workshops for middle and high school teachers and students June 30through July 3 on the campus of Tennessee State University. The project, led by Dr. Ahmad Naseer Aziz, associate professor of Molecular Genetics, was funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“The College is devoted to providing education to teachers and students in green technology through hands-on experiences and interaction with experts in the field,” said Dr. Jason de Koff, assistant professor of Bioenergy Crop Production, and one of several faculty members who led educational sessions as part of the workshops. “We plan to be active participants in training the next generation of scientists and advancing the state of Tennessee.”

Ten local educators attended the four-day teachers workshop for tips, pointers and helpful information on teaching the emerging field of biofuels, hands-on biofuel conversion, a tour of TSU’s agricultural labs, and informational sessions from the College’s biofuel specialists. All educators received a free “Production of Biodiesel Kit (Carolina ChemKits^®)” to teach in their classrooms.

Twelve local middle school students attended the workshop June 30 while 13 local high school students attended the workshop on July 2. The youth workshops focused on teaching basic lab techniques used in biofuel conversion and growing biomaterials used in the process. Students participated in various hands-on activities and games such as hand-held biofuel conversion and biodiesel feedstock bingo.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants filled out anonymous surveys that indicated that the information and activities presented by College faculty members would serve as inspiration for new activities and ways to teach biofuels and related technologies at the middle and high school levels.

“I learned a lot compared to what I knew before,” said one participant via survey. “I [am now] interested in a subject that [previously] appear[ed] boring.”

For more information, contact Dr. de Koff at (615) 963-4929 orjdekoff@tnstate.edu.

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.