We held our fourth Indiana Blood Center Bloodmobile on Friday, August 24, and collected 11 units of whole blood, and 6 units via double-red-cell donations, for a total of 17 units - an amount that could save up to 51 lives! That brings our 2018 total to 64 and 16, respectively. During 2017 we collected 91 whole-blood units and 28 double-red-cell. Our final 2018 drive will be Monday, November 12 from 9 am - 2 pm. We need a big response to match our 2017 totals! Sign-up details will be released when the portal opens.

Carol Weaver had the privilege, and honor, of singing the National Anthem at the ladies' soccer match on Thursday, September 6. Special thanks to Stan Harlow for bringing his wife Karen, their daughter Becky, and her four kids for moral support!

Indiana AgrAbility staffed a display in the Indiana FFA Pavilion at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis August 3 thru 19, 2018.  The display included an AgrAbility popup, a TV showing the It’s About Hope video, an accessible tool display, AgrAbility publications, veteran publications, and safety publications.  It also included a John Deere tractor with a Life Essentials lift and an Action Track Stander power wheelchair. 

On Farmer’s Day at the Indiana State Fair, Indiana AgrAbility presented a display in the Purdue Extension/Horticulture Building.  This display was in addition to the display in the FFA Pavilion and was available to a different state fair attendee.  It included AgrAbility publications, a viewing of the It’s About Hope video, and veteran resources.

Steve Swain, Indiana AgrAbility rural rehabilitation specialist, made a presentation to the North Montgomery Ag Mechanics class at North Montgomery High School.  The presentation included information about AgrAbility, the Bridging Horizons Community Service Contest, and products and modification for various disabilities and impairment they might encounter on the farm.  There were many questions asked and information shared.

The National AgrAbility Project staffed a display in the Health and Safety Tent at the 2018 Farm Progress Show at Boone, Iowa.  The display included an AgrAbility popup, AgrAbility publications, and safety publications.  Life Essentials also exhibited at the Farm Progress Show with publications, an Action Track Stander power wheelchair, a running board lift, and a truck lift.  We were able to cross-refer attendees to AgrAbility services and to Life Essentials products.

Chuck Baldwin, Breaking New Ground/Indiana AgrAbility project manager, attended the Indiana Amish Handicap Gathering [SIC] held outside of Saint Joe, IN, August 25, 2018. More than 150 Amish were in attendance, all of them impacted personally or familially by disability. Chuck was invited to share the vision of AgrAbility, the possibilities AgrAbility has to make a difference in the Amish community when it comes to operating a farm where disability plays a role, and the importance of farm safety and avoidance of secondary injury when faced with disability in the agricultural setting.

The purpose of the gathering was mutual encouragement to continue living in hope and gratitude for what they believe God has allowed in their lives, and to learn to better cope with the challenges they face as a result of their disabilities.

As with most such Amish gatherings, much could be said of the appreciation for life expressed between members of this community as they shared their pain and their progress.  An abundance of food was shared at the common meal, and time to meditate on lessons learned was given for any who cared to wander the woodland trails or to meander along the sizeable pond belonging to the acreage where the gathering was held. Both the trails and the pond were completely accessible for those in wheelchairs or needing assistance.

During his time there, Chuck was treated to the experience and explanation of something he had never seen before in the way of Amish technology: a horse-powered (literally) treadmill that served to crank five gallons at a time of home-made (or perhaps it should be called “horse-made”) ice cream! (See the attached photos.) The result, after an hour of walking the treadmill for the horse, was 10 gallons of sinfully delicious frozen dessert – five gallons of raspberry and five gallons of vanilla!

Dr. Danyele Clingan, AgrAbility staff, and Kelsey Meyers, Purdue Extension – Henry County, co-taught the Mental Health First Aid course August 29^th to 24 participants at Caldwell Acres outside of Rushville, IN. Chuck Baldwin, also with AgrAbility, participated as a learner.

The Mental Health First Aid courses being offered by Purdue Extension are an eight-hour, one-day training to teach participants how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. According to the Purdue Extension/opioids website, “If you work with or in the agriculture industry, this may be a valuable course to attend. The agriculture industry can be very stressful with possible on-the-farm injuries, large loans for land and equipment, and volatile pricing. These circumstances lead to high rates of stress and leave individuals looking for ways to cope, which puts a strain on their mental health and overall well-being, as well as that of their families.” To find further information on where a person can attend one of these courses, see the website at: https://extension.purdue.edu/opioids/ . If living outside of Indiana, please visit the Mental Health First Aid website at: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/.

Sam Noel, an ABE graduate student, was recognized at the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Detroit recently. He placed in the Oral/Poster Competition within the ITSC (Information Technology, Sensors, and control Systems) technical community with "Real-time on-farm yield trials powered by opensource: connecting ISOBlue, OADA, and the Trials Tracker App." Congratulations, and thank you for representing ABE!

Zusongying Zhao, a visiting scholar from China Agricultural University, an ABE partner, was recognized at the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Detroit recently. He placed in the Oral/Poster Competition within the PRS (Processing Systems) technical community. Congratulations, and thank you for representing ABE!

Four of our faculty were honored by the College of Engineering as outstanding educators for Spring 2018. Keith Cherkauer, Abigail Engelberth, Michael Ladisch, and Kevin Solomon were recognized in an ad in the August 20, 2018, edition of the Exponent. Thank you - you represent us well.

Remembering Dr. Ivantysynova

After fourteen years of innovation and success, the Maha Fluid Power Research Center must, for the first time, announce a grave tragedy: Dr. Ivantysynova, our beloved lab director, passed away during the early morning hours of August 11th, 2018, after four months of bravely fighting cancer. She was a fearless team leader, a caring yet exacting advisor, and a star in the international fluid power community. Her professional achievements are unparalleled: in her life she received two honorary doctorate degrees, the Robert E. Koski medal from the American Society of American Engineers, the Joseph Bramah medal from the United Kingdom’s Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and Purdue’s 2016 Morrill Award. Furthermore, she was a prolific author, with several best paper awards and numerous other academic recognitions, including being recognized as both an SAE fellow and an ASME fellow.

However, for us – the Maha lab team members past and present – she was much more than that. She taught us a research method, and she inspired us to do high-level research based on the values of hard work, courage and integrity. She could be a tough leader when necessary ― but she was genuine. Her office door was always open for anyone in need of guidance. She was always there for us, even when meeting with one of us implied changing her personal schedule. She taught us how to work together in an effective manner, how to appreciate diversity, and how to face even the most difficult research challenges. She cared deeply for every single lab member’s life, knowing and appreciating the important and sometimes delicate balance between personal life and work. She endeavored to help us in every situation we encountered, celebrated our achievements, and included us in celebrating any achievement of hers.

She touched the lives of so many people ― students, colleagues, members of industry and academia alike ― and it is hard to imagine a world without her overflowing enthusiasm and untamable energy driving everyone forward; but now we must. We are very grateful for all the opportunities that Dr. Ivantysynova gave us, and will continue focusing on our research efforts knowing that she is keeping an eye on us from a much more peaceful place.

We at the lab will all miss Dr. Ivantysynova, and hope that we can do her incredible legacy justice in the years to come.

In her honor, a section of the Maha website will be set up for everyone to share their best thoughts and memories.

Nate and (Professor) Abigail Engelberth welcomed home Felix Edward on August 13, 2018. He was 8 lbs, 1 oz., 20 inches. Big Brother August also approves of the new addition to the family! Felix even made a public appearance at the Welcome Back picnic! Congratulations to the entire family!

David Wilson and Dan Taylor took the PUP and the 1/4-Scale Tractor to the Indiana State Fair where they "talked to a steady stream of interested visitors."

Michelle Dixon, a senior in biological engineering, was recognized by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers at the summer Annual Meeting in Detroit. She won 3rd place in the K.K. Barnes Student Paper Award competition. Congratulations, Michelle!