Research Interests
The Sustainable Food Systems Engineering Lab (Dr. Usack's Lab) seeks to develop microbial-based bioprocessing technologies that facilitate the circular recovery of resources (food, water, energy, nutrients) and their upgrading (bioenergy, biochemicals, bio-based foods) within the bioeconomy. Primarily, his research involves three platform technologies: anaerobic digestion, microbial chain-elongation, and power-to-food. Dr. Usack and his students conduct fundamental and applied research at multiple scales, including: i) engineering individual bioprocesses in the lab; ii) overseeing bioprocess scale-up & field implementations & product commercialization; and iii) evaluating multi-stage bioprocess integrations using environmental lifecycle assessments, technoeconomic analysis, and systems engineering approaches.
Courses Taught
FDST 4012/6012: Food Processing II
FDST 4012L/6012L: Food Processing II Lab
Education
Cornell University: Ph.D./Biological & Env. Engineering 2016
Cornell University: M.Sc./Biological & Env. Engineering 2014
SUNY-ESF: B.Sc./Environmental Science 2008
Professional Affiliations
Faculty Member, New Materials Institute – Circular Materials Management, University of Georgia
Faculty Member, Institute for Integrative and Precision Agriculture, University of Georgia
Advisory Board Member, Bio-expression and Fermentation Facility, University of Georgia