The Bioeconomy Institute strengthens the data, computational, and research infrastructure needed to accelerate discovery and informed decision-making. We support interdisciplinary teams that integrate bioeconomy research with emerging AI technologies.
What the Bioeconomy Institute does
- Creates algorithms, models, and tools to inform research and decision-making
- Expands and advertises analytical and data management capacity
- Invests in research teams working at the convergence of bioeconomy and AI
- Partners with ISU Library, Statistics, Digital and Precision Ag, and Translational AI Teams
- Strengthens relationships with DOE National Labs
Example of resources supported through the Bioeconomy Institute
- Iowa Biogas Assessment Model (IBAM)
- Farm Energy Analysis with Anaerobic Digestion (FEAAD) Tool
- Scientific Information Launching Perennial Horizons (SILPH) database
Recent publications on Systems Intelligence
- Amponsah, J, P Dubey, J Shi, M Mba-Wright. 2026. Municipal solid waste gasification with alcohol-to-jet upgrading produces low-carbon aviation fuel at fossil-competitive costs. Frontiers in Fuels, 4, 1871799.
- Hernandez, JDL, E Rahic, LA Schulte, M Mba-Wright. 2027. Experimental and techno-economic assessment of renewable natural gas production from swine slurry, prairie, and cereal rye. Biomass and Bioenergy, 217, 109997.
- Magala, R, LA Schulte. 2026. apsimNGpy: A comprehensive Python framework for interactive, reproducible, and scalable simulations of the APSIM Next Generation model. SoftwareX, 33, 102496.
- Saha, J, M Mba-Wright, Y Wang. 2026. A systematic review of emerging bioenergy pathways: Comparison of economic viability and greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass and Bioenergy, 109838.
- Tajipour, M, B Jiang, L Penny, P Dubey, H Wabiszewski, F Zhang, M Foston, M Mba-Wright. 2026. Lifecycle cost, environmental, and machine-learning value assessment for synthetic spider silk production from E. coli. Green Chemistry, 28 (4): 1960–1971.
- Wild, K, JC Dominguez, LS Moore, M Mba-Wright. 2026. Advancing the predictive techno-economic and lifecycle assessment of prairie grass and manure co-digestion for renewable natural gas applications. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 13, 1651510.