April 11, 2005
The University of Arkansas College of Engineering has presented an award to an emeritus professor in Iowa State's agricultural and biosystems engineering department.
Wes Buchele was one of 11 people to receive the first-ever Distinguished Alumni Engineering award. He and the others were honored at a banquet in Fayetteville April 9.
The award honors the exceptional professional and personal achievement of University of Arkansas College of Engineering graduates who have achieved distinction in their fields of endeavor and have provided outstanding leadership and service to the college, their organization and communities.
Buchele earned a master's degree at the University of Arkansas. He is known internationally for his many contributions to the agricultural engineering profession. He was instrumental in the development and widespread adoption of ridge-till farming, which slows erosion and reduces pesticide use. Buchele contributed to the development of large round hay balers, the development of rollover protective devices for tractors as well as several machinery safety features.
He holds nearly 25 patents for his inventions and supervised graduate students who received another 10 patents for equipment innovations that have made farming safer and more efficient.
Buchele received a doctorate from Iowa State in 1954, with a double major in agricultural engineering and soil physics. He spent two years as an assistant professor at Iowa State before moving to Michigan State University. He returned to Iowa State in 1963 and retired in 1989.