Adam J. Liska

Adam J. Liska

Contact Information:

East Campus (Lincoln)
236 L.W. Chase Hall
aliska2@unl.edu

Professional Memberships:


Associate Professor of Biological Systems Engineering, Program Coordinator, Energy Science Minor

Academic Degrees

  • Ph.D., Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, and Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
  • B.S., Biochemistry and Biology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Certifications

  • Ph.D.

Appointment

  • 40% Teaching
  • 20% Research
  • 40% Agronomy and Horticulture Research

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

  • Biofuels
  • Life cycle assessment
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Energy Security

Teaching Interests

Honors and Awards

  • Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute Faculty Fellow
  • George Dempster Smith Chair of Industrial Ecology
  • Encyclopedia of Czech-American Biography, 2014
  • 2011 Recognition for Contributions to Students, UNL Parents Association & Teaching Council
  • 2009 Recognition for Contributions to Students, UNL Parents Association & Teaching Council
  • American Society of Agronomy 
  • Gamma Sigma Delta

Selected Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLES

  • Liska AJ, Yang H, Milner M, Goddard S, Blanco-Canqui H, Pelton MP, Fang XX, Zhu H, Suyker AE. 2014. Biofuels from Crop Residue Can Reduce Soil Carbon and Increase CO 2 Emissions. Nature Climate Change 4, 398-401.
  • Dudley QM, Liska AJ, Watson A, Erickson GE. 2014. Uncertainties in Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Beef Cattle. J. Cleaner Production 75, 31-39.
  • Liska AJ, Heier CD. 2013 The Limits to Complexity: A Thermodynamic History of Bioenergy. Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining 7, 573–581.
  • Sanchez, ST, Woods J, Akhurst MA, Brander M, O’Hare M, Dawson T, Liska AJ, Malpas R. 2012. Accounting for Indirect Land Use Change in the Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuel Supply Chains. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 9, 1105-1119.
  • Karlen, DL, Archer D, Liska AJ, Meyer S. 2012. Energy Issues Affecting Corn/Soybean Systems: Challenges for Sustainable Production. Council on Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), Issue Paper 48. Ames, Iowa.
  • Bremer VR, Watson AK, Liska AJ, Erickson GE, Cassman KG. Hanford KJ., Klopfenstein TJ. 2011. Effect of Distillers Grains Moisture and Inclusion Level in Livestock Diets on Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Corn-Ethanol- Livestock Life Cycle. The Professional Animal Scientist 27, 449-455.
  • Liska A.J., Perrin, R.K. 2010. Securing Foreign Oil: A Case for Including Military Operations in the Climate Change Impact of Fuels. Environment, 52, 9-22.
  • Wortmann, C.S., Liska, A.J., Ferguson, R.B., Klein, R.N., Lyon, D.J., Dweikat, I. 2010. Dryland Performance of Sweet Sorghum and Grain Crops for Biofuel in Nebraska. Agronomy Journal, 102, 319-326.
  • Bremer, V.R., Liska, A.J., Klopfenstein, T.J,, Erickson, G.E., Yang, H.S., Walters, D.T., Cassman, K.G. 2010. Emissions Savings in the Corn-Ethanol Life Cycle from Feeding Co-Products to Livestock. Journal of Environmental Quality, 39, 1-11
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G. 2009. Response to Plevin: Implications for Life Cycle Emissions Regulations. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 13, 508-513.
  • Liska, A.J., Perrin, R.K. 2009. Indirect Land Use Emissions in the Life Cycle of Biofuels: Regulations vs. Science. Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining. 3, 318-328.
  • Liska, A.J., Yang, H.S., Bremer, V.R., Klopfenstein, T.J., Walters, D.T., Erickson, G.E., Cassman, K.G. 2009. Improvements in Life Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Ethanol. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 13, 58-74.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G. 2008. Towards Standardization of Life-Cycle Metrics for Biofuels: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation and Net Energy Yield. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy2, 187-203
  • Naylor, R.L., Liska, A.J., Burke, M.B., Falcon, W.P., Gaskell, J., Rozelle, S.D., Cassman, K.G. 2007. The Ripple Effect: Biofuels, Food Security, and the Environment. Environment49, 30-43 (Original research, cited 12 times)
  • Cassman, K.G., Liska, A.J. 2007. Food and Fuel for All: Realistic or Foolish? Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining. 1, 18-23, 2007 (Perspective, cited 18 times)
  • Liska, A.J. 2005. The Myth and the Meaning of Science as a Vocation. Ultimate Reality and Meaning, 28(2),149-164 (Original research)
  • Liska, A.J., Sunyaev, S., Shilov, I., Schaeffer, D., Shevchenko, A. 2005.
    Error-Tolerant EST Database Searching by Tandem Mass Spectrometry and MultiTag Software. Proteomics, 5, 4118-4122 (Short communication, cited 9 times)
  • Liska, A.J., Shevchenko, A., Pick, U., Katz, A. 2004. Enhanced Photosynthesis and Redox Energy Production Contribute to Salinity-Tolerance in Dunaliella as Revealed by Homology-Based Proteomics. Plant Physiology, 136,2806-2817 (Original research, cited 40 times)
  • Liska, A.J., Popov, A., Sunyaev, S., Coughlin, P., Habermann, B., Shevchenko, A., Bork, P., Karsenti, E., Shevchenko, A. 2004. Homology-Based Functional Proteomics by Mass Spectrometry: Application to the Xenopus Microtubule-Associated Proteome. Proteomics, 4, 2707-2721 (Original research, cited 28 times)
  • Liska, A.J. 2004. The Morality of Problem Selection in Proteomics. Proteomics, 4, 1929-1931, 2004
  • Sunyaev, S., Liska, A.J., Golod, A., Shevchenko, A., Shevchenko, A. 2003. MultiTag: Multiple Error-Tolerant Sequence Tag Search for the Sequence-Similarity Identification of Proteins by Mass Spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry, 75, 1307-1315 (Original research, cited 58 times)
  • Liska, A.J., Shevchenko, A. 2003. Combining Mass Spectrometry with Database Interrogation Strategies in Proteomics. Trends in Analytical Chemistry22, 291-298 (Review, cited 24 times)
  • Liska, A.J., Shevchenko, A. 2003. Expanding the Organismal Scope of Proteomics: Cross-Species Protein Identification by Mass Spectrometry and its Implications. Proteomics3, 19-28 (Review, cited 69 times)

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

  • Liska, A.J. Uncertainty in Indirect Land Use Change Emissions in the Life Cycle of Biofuels: Implications for Legislation, U.S. Department of Energy, Biomass 2010 Conference, Washington DC, March 30, 2010.
  • Liska A.J., Perrin, R.K., and Cassman, K.C. Recommendations for the Life Cycle Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Biofuels in the EPA Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2), Growing the Bioeconomy; Solutions for Sustainability, Mahoney, NE, December 1, 2009. (Invited speaker)
  • Liska A.J., et al. Magnitude and Variability in Emissions Savings in the Corn-Ethanol Life Cycle from Feeding Co-Products to Livestock. CRC Workshop on Life Cycle Analysis of Biofuels Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, IL, October 21, 2009.
  • Liska AJ, Cassman KG, Perrin RK. Life Cycle Emissions Standards for Biofuels: Transparency, Relevance, and Uncertainties. 238th American Chemical Society National Meeting. Washington, DC, Aug. 18, 2009.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G.Perrin, R.K. Life Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn Ethanol. North Central Region Mini Land Grant Meeting 2009, Wooster, OH, July 14.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G.Perrin, R.K. Life Cycle Emissions Standards for Biofuels: Transparency, Representativeness, and Uncertainties. National Environmental Partnership Summit 2009 (US EPA), San Francisco, CA, May 6.
  • Liska, A.J., Yang, H., Bremer, V., Erickson, G., Klopfenstein, T., Walters, D.T., Cassman, K.G. Improvements in Life-Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Ethanol. 3rd Annual Midwest Ag Energy Summit, Chicago, IL, December 15.
  • Cassman, K.G., Liska, A.J., Yang, H., D'Croz Mason. D. Accelerating the Rate of Crop Yield Gains to Ensure Sustainable Biofuel Systems. 101st ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, Houston, TX, October 5-9.
  • Liska, A.J., Yang, H., Bremer, V., Erickson, G., Klopfenstein, T., Walters, D.T., Cassman, K.GLife Cycle Assessment of Biofuel Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Net Energy Yields Using the BESS Model 101st ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, Houston, TX, October 5-9.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G. Improving Accuracy in Life-Cycle Emissions Analysis of Corn-Ethanol for Low Carbon Fuel Standards. 3rd Annual Ethanol Summit, Grand Island, NE, September 25.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.GLife-Cycle Energy Efficiency and GHG Balance of Corn-Ethanol: BESS Model Analysis. Measuring and Modeling the Lifecycle GHG Impacts of Transportation Fuels, University of California-Berkeley, CA, July 1-2.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G. Life Cycle Assessment Using the BESS Model for State and National Low Carbon Fuel Standards and GHG Emissions Trading. 24th International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, Nashville, TN, June 16-19.
  • Cassman, K.G., Dobermann, A., Adviento-Borbe, M.A.A., Liska, A.J., Specht, J., Walters, D., Yang, H. Ecological Intensification of Corn-Based Cropping Systems. Fluid Fertilizer Foundation Forum, Scottsdale, AZ, Feb 17-18.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G., Yang, H. Energy and Environmental Contributions of Corn-Ethanol, Proceedings of the 2007 Indiana CCA Conference, Indianapolis, IN, Dec. 18-19.
  • Liska, A.J., Yang, H., Walters, D.T., Bremer, V., Erickson, G., Klopfenstein, T., Koelsch, R., Kenny, D., Tracy, P., Cassman, K.GEnergy Efficiency, GHG Balance, and Carbon Credits of Corn-Ethanol: BESS Model Analysis. 100th ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, New Orleans, LA, Nov. 4-8.
  • Yang, H., Liska, A.J., Bremer, V., Walters, D.T., Kenny, D., Tracy, P., Erickson, G., Klopfenstein, T., Cassman, K.GBESS—Biofuel Energy Systems Simulator. 100th ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, New Orleans, LA, Nov. 4-8.
  • Liska, A.J., Cassman, K.G., Yang, H., Walters, D.T. Life-Cycle Performance of Biofuels: GHG Mitigation and Net Energy, Expert Consultation on Biofuels, International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Philippines, August 27-29.
  • Liska, A.J., Yang, H., Walters, D.T., Bremer, V.R., Erickson, G.E., Klopfenstein, T.J., Koelsch, R., Kenney, D., Tracy, P., Cassman, K.G. A User-Friendly Simulation Tool for Estimating Carbon Credits for Corn-Ethanol Systems. 23rd International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, St. Louis, MO, June 26-29.
  • Liska, A.J., Walters, D.T., Yang, H., Dobermann, A., Cassman, K.G., Verma, S.B., Kenney, D. Technological Boundaries of Corn-Ethanol Energy Yield and Efficiency. 127th Nebraska Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, Lincoln, NE, April 20.
  • Walters. D.T., Ginting, D., Cassman, K.G., Verma, S., Dobermann, A., Yang, H., Suyker, A., Liska, A.J. Impact of Grain Biofuel Production on the Global Warming Potential of Maize-based Agroecosystems. The Fourth USDA Greenhouse Gas Conference, Baltimore, MD, February 6-8.
  • Specht, J.E., Bastidas, A., Salvagiott,i F., Setiyono, T., Liska, A.J., Dobermann, A., Walters, D.T., Cassman, K.G. Soybean Yield Potential and Management Practices Required to Achieve it. Fluid Fertilizer Foundation Forum, Scottsdale, AZ, Feb 13-14.
  • Liska, A.J., Popov, A., Sunyaev, S.. Shevchenko, A., Habermann, B.. Bork, P., Karsenti, E., Shevchenko, A. Mass Spectrometric Sequence-Similarity Protein Identification for the Proteomics of Organisms with Unsequenced Genomes: Application to the Microtubule-Associated Proteome of Xenopus laevisFrom Molecular Cell Biology to Molecular Medicine, Warsaw, Poland, Nov.
  • Liska, A.J., Rhoads, D.M., Shevchenko, A., Elthon, T.E. Identification of the 32 kD NADH Dehydrogenase of Plant Mitochondria. 6th International Congress on Plant Mitochondria. Perth, Australia, July.
  • Shevchenko, A., Habermann, B., Golod, A., Liska, A., Sunyaev, S. Sequence-Similarity Searching Tools for High-Throughput Identification of Proteins from Organisms with Unsequenced Genomes. 50th American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Orlando, FL, June.
  • Cerny, R.L., Liska, A.J., Wulser, K., Elthon, T.E. Development of a Maize Mitochondria 2-D Gel Database. 48th American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Long Beach, CA.
  • Rhoads, D.M., Liska, A.J., Bhattramakki, D., Lund, A.A., Elthon, T.E. Isolation and Characterization of a Genomic Clone Encoding the Mitochondrial HSP22 of Maize. American Society of Plant Physiologists.

BOOKS

  • Liska AJ. Eight Principles of Uncertainty for Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuel Systems. Chapter 11, pp. 243-268. In: Bhardwaj AK, Zenone T, Chen JK (eds.), 2015. Sustainable Biofuels: An Ecological Assessment of Future Energy. Walter De Gruyter & Co., Berlin.
  • Liska, A.J., Perrin, R.K. Energy and Climate Implications for Agricultural Nutrient Use Efficiency. Chapter 1. In: Clay D. and Shanahan J. (eds.), GIS Applications in Agriculture–Nutrient Management for Improved Energy Efficiency. CRC Press.
  • Liska, A.J., Shevchenko, A. Identification of Proteins from Organisms with Unsequenced Genomes by Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Sequence-Similarity Database Searching Tools. Cell Biology, Four-Volume Set, 3rd edition, A Laboratory Handbook, Edited by Julio E. Celis et al., vol. 4, Chapter 51, p. 399, Academic Press.
  • Shevchenko, A, Sunyaev, S., Liska, A.J., Bork, P., Shevchenko, A. Nanoelectrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Sequence Similarity Searching for Identification of Proteins from Organisms with Unknown Genomes. Protein Sequencing ProtocolsMethods in Molecular Biology, 211, Humana Press.

PATENTS

  • BESS Software (Biofuel Energy Systems Simulator, www.bess.unl.edu),
    Cassman, K.G., Liska, A.J., Yang, H.S., Erickson, G.E., Klopfenstein, T.J., Bremer, V.R. Patent pending. Submission: July 20, 2009.
  • MultiTag Software: WO/2004/070643, "Method for predicting protein function." 19.08.2004. Shevchenko, A., Sunyaev, S., Liska, A.J., Shevchenko, A., Golod, A., Bork, P. (www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?wo=2004070643