Education

• Ph.D., Agricultural Engineering, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign 2004
• M.S., Agricultural Engineering, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, 2001
• B.S., Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, 1999
• Licensed Professional Engineer, Oklahoma

Certifications

  • PhD, PE

Professional Memberships:

• American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
• International Bioprocessing Association

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

• Enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass
• Fermentation for production of bioproducts
• Processing of corn and other cereal grains
• Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass

Inventions/Patents

• Stewart, D., W.W. Widmer, K. Grohmann, and M.R. Wilkins. 2013. Ethanol production from solid citrus processing waste.  United States Patent 8,372,614.  Awarded February 12, 2013.
• Widmer, W.W., D. Stewart, K. Grohmann, and M.R. Wilkins. 2011. Method of pretreating citrus waste. United States Patent 7,879,379. Awarded February 1, 2011.

Courses Taught

• AGEN/BSEN: 898 Internship
• BSEN 444/844: Biomass and Bioenergy
• BSEN 445/845: Bioprocess Engineering

Honors and Awards

• 2019 Leadership Citation, Meetings Council, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)
• 2019 Outstanding Associate Editor, ASABE
• Nebraska Corn Checkoff Presidential Chair, 2018-present
• 2016 ASABE Superior Paper Award
• 2012 Gale A. Holloway Award for Professional Development, ASABE

Selected Publications

1. Abdella, A., F. Segato, and M.R. Wilkins. 2020. Optimization of process parameters and fermentation strategy for xylanase production in a stirred tank reactor using a mutant Aspergillus nidulans strain. Biotechnol. Reports. DOI:10.1016/j.btre.2020.e00457
2. Irmak, S., J. Kang, and M. Wilkins. 2020. Depolymerization of lignin by wet air oxidation. Bioresource Technol. Reports. 9:100377. DOI:10.1016/j.biteb.2019.100377
3. Li, M. and M. Wilkins. 2020. Fed-batch cultivation and adding supplements to increase yields of polyhydroxybutyrate production by Cupriavidus necator from corn stover alkaline pretreatment liquor. Bioresource Technol. 299:122676. DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122676
4. Li, M. and M.R. Wilkins. 2020. Flow cytometry for quantitation of polyhydroxybutyrate production by Cupriavidus necator using alkaline pretreated liquor from corn stover. Bioresource Technol. 295:122254. DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122254
5. Li, M. and M.R. Wilkins. 2020. Recent advances in polyhydroxyalkanoate production: Feedstocks, strains and process developments. International J Biol Macromolecules 156:691-703
6. Li, M, N. K. Wijewardane, Y. Ge, Z. Xu and M.R. Wilkins. 2020. Visible/near infrared spectroscopy and machine learning for predicting polyhydroxybutyrate production cultured on alkaline pretreated liquor from corn stover. Bioresource Technol. Reports. 9:100386. DOI:10.1016/j.biteb.2020.100386
7. Liu, E., M. Li, A. Abdella, M.R. Wilkins. 2020. Development of a cost-effective medium for submerged production of fungal aryl alcohol oxidase using a genetically modified Aspergillus nidulans strain. Bioresource Technol. 305:123038. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123038
8. Abdella, A., F. Segato, M.R. Wilkins. 2019. Optimization of nutrient medium components for production of a client endo-beta-1,4-xylanase from Aspergillus fumigatus var. niveus using a recombinant Aspergillus nidulans strain. Biocatalysis and Agr. Biotechnol. 20:101267. DOI:10.1016/j.bcab.2019.101267.
9. Li, M., K. Eskridge, M.R. Wilkins. 2019. Optimization of polyhydroxybutyrate production by experimental design of combined ternary mixture (glucose, xylose and arabinose) and process variables (sugar concentration, molar C:N ratio). Bioprocess and Biosystems Eng. 42 (9):1495-1506. DOI:10.1007/s00449-019-02146-1
10. Li, M, K Eskridge, E. Liu, M.R. Wilkins. 2019 Enhancement of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from alkaline pretreatment liquor with an oxidative enzyme-mediator-surfactant system. Bioresource Technol. 281:99-106. DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2019.02.045