Dev Shrestha

Professor Dev Shrestha is the current project director of Biodiesel Education Program. Dr. Shrestha is an agricultural engineer by training and professor at Biological Engineering Department. His primary research is related to biodiesel life cycle analysis and has contributed significantly in this front. His research includes developing bio-sensors and advanced precision agriculture. Dev is also the current project director at the University of Idaho's Industrial Assessment Center. The center is funded by Department of Energy to educate future energy engineers and to help local industries in improving their energy efficiencies. Dev teaches classes in Instrumentation, Power and Controls and is the current advisor for student capstone projects for the department.

Brian He

Professor Brian He is a co-prinicpal investigator for the Biodiesel Education Program. Brian is a food and bioprocessing engineer and professor at the Biological Engineering Department. He has an integrated background in agricultural engineering, biosystems engineering, and chemical engineering. His research interests include renewable energy and value-added products from biobased resources. His research activities in the biodiesel area involve integrated processing of oil seeds for sustainable biodiesel production and by-products utilization, and novel continuous-flow reactor system for biodiesel production.

Jon Van Gerpen

Dr. Jon H. Van Gerpen is a Professor Emeritus at the Biological Engineering Department. He is a mechanical engineer, former Department Head for the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, and former Associate Dean Associate for Research in the College of Engineering. He moved from Iowa State University, where he worked for 20 years on projects relating to biodiesel production and utilization and diesel engine combustion and emissions. At Iowa State, he directed the design and construction of a pilot plant that was capable of producing about 250,000 gallons/yr of biodiesel. He has also coordinated a series of biodiesel workshops to assist existing and potential biodiesel producers with business management techniques, analytical methods, and production technology. Jon Van Gerpen was the original team member and lead for the Biodiesel Education Project since it was initiated in 2003.

John Crockett

John Crockett is the Communication Coordinator for the Biodiesel Education Project. He was with the Idaho Office of Energy Resources for 16 years where he served as the State’s representative on renewable energy resources and alternative fuels. In this capacity he began his long history with the University’s biodiesel program. He has also done several feasibility studies for biodiesel plants in the Pacific Northwest. John holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.S. in Environmental Science and Architecture from the University of Idaho.

Joe Thompson

Dr. Joe Thompson was the original research support scientist and manager of the university’s biodiesel lab. In this capacity, he was instrumental in developing biodiesel production and analysis, setting up and conducting research on different aspects of biodiesel, educating and assisting students with their projects, and participating in numerous biodiesel events. Because of Dr. Thompson’s wealth of biodiesel knowledge he was asked to help our biodiesel education team with some of his retirement time.

Chad Dunkel

Chad Dunkel is the support scientist for Advanced Biofuel Laboratory at the Univeristy of Idaho. He manages the lab and is involved with research and education about biofuel.

Mary Everett

Mary Everett is a student at the University of Idaho who joined the Biodiesel Education Program in 2016. She helps with the program's videos and social media pages.

Brian Hanson

Brian Hanson is a graduate student in the Biological Engineering Department.