General Information
Meetings
Meetings are held bimonthly, Thursdays at 5:15 PM in BESS room 266. At the first meeting of each semester, an email signup sheet is passed around to add people to the email list. We have 32 members and a consistent regular attendance of 20 people.
They are announced to club members on Mondays via email and posters are hung throughout the Biosystems Engineering labs building. The day of each meeting, an email is sent to all graduate and undergraduate students in the department as a reminder. Guest speakers are also invited from industry via connections in our department such as alumni.
Each year, we take a large number of students to the Southeastern Regional Rally. This year we had 18 students which is our largest ever and over 60% of the total members!
Agendas
Meetings are organized via an outlined agenda. At the beginning of each meeting, each attendant receives the agenda. Members who have paid dues eat the dinner provided. Guest speakers (if any) speak first, followed by the financial report delivered by the treasurer, and the secretary’s reading of the last meeting’s minutes.
Minutes
Minutes are sent out after meetings via email to all members to keep those informed who could not attend the meeting. Upcoming events and deadlines are communicated as well. See the “Events” tab to see past and upcoming events.
Committees and Event Planning
Committees are formed for the purpose of various events (such as Lawnmower Cleanup, see “fundraisers”). Members who are experienced are in charge of said committees, and newer members are included in the committee so that they can learn the process for the following academic year.
Members
As of the 2014-15 we have approximately 30 total members. Regular participation consists of about 20 members, meaning that these students attend almost all meetings and participate in the other events outside of regular meeting times.
Membership in this Branch may consist of three kinds – Honorary Members, Members and Associates.
Honorary Members shall be biosystems engineering faculty members of the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Environmental Sciences and graduate students in biosystems engineering, other than those who hold regular student membership. Any graduate in biosystems engineering from a recognized college of university who has gained recognition and is approved by the Faculty Adviser, may also be elected to Honorary Membership by the Branch.
Members shall be students enrolled in Biosystems Engineering, or majoring in Biosystems Engineering as shown by the rolls of the University. Associates shall be students of other curriculum than biosystems engineering who evidence an interest in biosystems engineering and desire to associate with the Branch. Membership also depends upon conduct and upon payment of such dues and assessments as are prescribed in the By-Laws. 6. Members in good standing in this Branch are eligible to become student members of ASABE as prescribed in the By-Laws.
What We Do
Social Events
In order to increase participation and relax between busy schedules, ASABE members organize social events. At the beginning of each semester, a mixer is held at a local bar. The participation is excellent and gives everybody a chance to get to know each other better. We also participate in the university’s intramural soccer program. This year we made it to the 4th round of the playoffs before losing the title. Aside from organized sports teams, we also host an annual cookout thanking our faculty and staff for all of their hard work throughout the school year and enjoy intense games of volleyball. Tours are also organized to encourage lifelong learning in engineering and usually have a great turnout.
Community Outreach
The ASABE UT chapter is committed to its community. Every year in the fall, ASABE prepares dinner at the Ronald McDonald House. This is a local house near Children’s Hospital where parents can stay when their child is sick. It is a great alternative to staying in an expensive hotel. We go to the house and prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal so that when parents stop in between visits to the hospital they can have a nutritional meal.
In addition to this, we participate in a fall time 4-H Halloween celebration in the main administrative building on the agricultural campus. Kids can come and visit, get candy, and get their pictures taken with fake dressed-up skeletons.
We also try to participate in a Third Creek cleanup every year. This year, the event was sponsored by Dow and involved a large barge full of all the trash collected to be sent down the Tennessee River from Knoxville to Chattanooga, demonstrating the immense quantity of trash left.
Fundraisers
Our largest fundraiser of the year is the Lawnmower Clinic/Cleanup. Faculty and staff bring in their pushmowers to be serviced for a modest donation. The clinic/cleanup includes a thorough cleaning of the housing, inside and out, blade sharpening, oil change, fuel fill-up, and sparkplug replacement.
This year we did about 32 mowers. This is our greatest source of revenue and we hope to scale up the operation in the coming years.
We also manage an “ASABE Snack Shop,” which is a continuous source of revenue. Students, faculty, and staff can come in and get a snack and drink as a refreshment. Prices are competitive and less than vending machines. Due to some theft issues, we did not have it operating this semester.
Each year we have t-shirt sales as well. Student members, our advisor, and some faculty and staff purchase them. This year our t-shirt was designed by Libby Fortunato and they will be in sale in the beginning of the fall semester.