KLEIN ILELEJI

Dr. Klein E. Ileleji, PhD is a Professor and Extension Engineer in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University, West Lafayette where he has served for about 24 years. He is also the founder, CEO and CTO of JUA Technologies International Inc, a 7-year old start-up company developing solar dehydration technologies and mobile off-grid power generators for agrifood systems, with focus on small and mid-size farms and businesses. Dr. Ileleji's research and extension focus at Purdue University are in the areas of grain and crop post-harvest technology, powder technology and biomass feedstock systems engineering. He also teaches a class on Electric Power and Controls (ASM42000). He is a 30-year member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), and a 17-year member of the Grain Elevators and Processing Society (GEAPS), where he served (2022-23) on the International Board of Directors. He has extensive international experience in Africa, Middle-East, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, China and Central Asia. He is the 2017 recipient of the Andersons Cereals and Oilseeds Award of Excellence for contributions to the multistate grain quality program, NC-213 and also the 2021 recipient of the ASABE Kishida International Award for his outstanding contributions in the grain commodity sector and innovations outside the United States. He co-chairs ASABE Alliance for Modernizing African Agrifood Systems (AMAA). In 2022, his company, JUA Technologies International was awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA “Exporter of the Year for Indiana and the Great Lakes Region”. Dr. Ileleji also serves as an entrepreneurship ambassador in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department at Purdue for both the Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering.