PhD Students under Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering
1. Aynadis Molla
Title: Solar Maize Grain Drying: Experimental and CFD Modeling
Aynadis Molla has recived her BSc degree with Chemical Engineering from Bahir Dai institure of Technology, BiT, Bahir dar University and MSc degree with Food Engineering from Addis Ababa Institute of Technology , Addis Ababa University. She is an instructor in BiT under faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering since 2005. Now she is doing her PhD under Post Harvest Technology programe with a research title of Solar Maize Grain Drying: Experimental and CFD Modeling. The aim of the research is to investigate the thermal performance of solar bubble and cabinet dryers (direct, indirect and mixed mode) for freshly harvested maize grain drying and to optimize the drying process by thin layer drying kinetics modeling and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), ANSYS-Fluent modeling. The expected out come of her research is, reduction of crop post harvest loss due to traditional drying.
2. Admasu Fanta
Title: PREVALENCE & MITIGATION OF MOLDS AND MYCOTOXINS UNDER DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS OF MAIZE AND WHEAT GRAINS IN ETHIOPIA
Admasu Fanta has received MSc degree in Food Chemistry from Dresden University of Technology, Germany. Currently, he joined the PhD program in Post-harvest Technology at Bahir Dar University, doing his research entitled 'Prevalence & Mitigation of Molds and Mycotoxins under Different Storage Conditions of Maize and Wheat Grains in Ethiopia' with the overall objective of determining the prevalence and recommend mitigation of mold infection and mycotoxin contamination problems. It is expected that major mycotoxins contamination incidences and levels will be known and prevention methods recomended which are suitable for smallholdr farm stored maize and wheat.
3. Karta Kasla
Title: Evaluation of Integrated Management Tactics to Protect Wheat and Maize Seeds from Insect Damage
Karta did his MSc in Seed Science and Technology at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. He has been working for the EIAR, Kulumsa Research Center, Aella, Ethiopia, at the capacity of Researcher. He authored and coauthored several research articles in the area of seed Science and Technology and published in peer-reviewed jouranls. His current research is on "Evaluation of integrated mangement tactics to protect wheat and maize seed from insect damage". His research out put is expected to benefit small-scale farmers in the informal seed system of Ethiopia.
4. Bethlehem Melese
Title: Studies on Nutritional Quality, Post harvest losses and handling of Ethiopian emmer wheat (Aja)
Bethlehem Melese has received her MSc degree in seed science and technology from Haramaya University. she is employee of Ethiopian Institute of agricultural research as associate seed researcher. Currently she joined Bahirdar University in program of post harvest technology Her PhD work is titled on studies on nutritional quality , post harvest losses and handling of Ethiopian emmer wheat (Aja) The expected out put of this research will be helpful to find out what is the nutritional quality of this unstudied crop, how much the loss is there and how the local producers are storing and handling it. Finally, depending on the results scientific and applicable recommendations will be handled.
5. Negash Kabtimer
Title: Microbial diversity in the gut of Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) from Ethiopian Lakes
Negash Kabtimer Bereded has graduated in Microbiology(MSc) from Hawassa Univerity and Food Biotechnology(MSc) from Wageningen University, the Netherlands. Currently, he joined PhD program under cotutelle agreement betwween BiT(Post Harvest Technology) and BOKU(Food Science and Biotechnology). His area of study is the gut microbiology of fish from Ethiopian lakes.The objective of the study is assessment of gut microbial dynamics of fish from different lakes in Ethiopia.
6. Eshetu Getahun
Title: Design Development and Performance Evaluation of Solar Tunnel Dryer with Thermal Energy Storage for Post-Harvest Management of Fruits and Vegetables in Ethiopia:Experimental and Numerical Studies
Eshetu Getahun has received BSc degree in Chemical Engineering and MSc degree in Sustainable Energy Engineering from Bahir Dar University. Currently, he joined PhD program in Post harvest Technology which is given by Bahir Dar University,BiT collaborated with KULeuven, in Belgium. He is researching on design development of different solar dryers so as to manage postharvest losses of fruits and vetatables in Ethiopia. The output of this research will help to Manage postharvest losses, food quality and increase its marketability which is very crucial in developing countries like ethiopia. In Ethiopia,there is more than 50% post harvest loss in fruits and vegetables that brings an impact on food security and commertial trade expansion due to below standard quality of the product for the international markets which reduces the foreign currency.It is also an essential shift in the utilization of sustainable energy for the design of different solar dryer technologies in post harvest loss management practices that will ultimately result in improved food quality, marketable product and reduce food security in Ethiopia.
7. Mitiku Amanu
Title: Design and modeling study of combined solar and solid state fermentation device to improve nutritional profile of soyabean
Mitiku has received his MSc in Food engineering from Addis ababa institute of technology and hewas working as a full time instructor in Kombolcha institute of technology. He joined the home grown Post harvest technology PhD program in the year 2017 with his research work entitled "Design and modeling study of combined solar and solid state fermentation device to improve nutritional profile of soyabean". The objective of the research being on Modelling study and design of solid state bioreactor to remove potential antinutritional factors there by substanciating the nutriotional quality mainly protein quality of soyabean.
8. Derese Mekonnen
Title: Design and performance evaluation of indirect natural circulation solar dryer for tomatoes in Ethiopia ,Numerical and experimental studies
Derese Mekonnen has received his B.Sc degree for Bahir Dar University in Food and Biochemical Technology and his MSc degree in Chemical Engineering (Food Engineering) from Addis Ababa University. Currently, he joined PhD program in postharvest technology at Bahir Dar University by the HGGP program. The PhD research area focuses on designing solar dryers suitable for drying tomatoes in order to reduce the post harvest losses. Together with reduction of post harvest losses the research will comprise general and different specific objectives. The output of this research will play a great role in reduction of postharvest losses of agricultural commodities by applying cheap technology which can be accessible by household farmers and through farmer unions.
9. Biruk Abate
Title: Development of Solar Powered Micro-Cold Storage for Horticultural farmers in Ethiopia: Modeling and Experimental Analysis
Biruk Abate Fenta has received his B.Sc Degree in Chemical Engineering from Bahir Dar University and M.Tech Degree in Chemical Engineering from Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Currently, he joined the PhD program in Post-harvest Technology at Bahir Dar University with collaboration of Ku Leuven Engineering Technology, Belgium doing his research entitled ‘Development of Solar Powered Micro-Cold Storage for Horticultural farmers in Ethiopia: Modeling and Experimental Analysis with the overall objective of developing household level solar cold storage recommend for postharvest loss prevention of fruits and vegetables. It is obvious that the small holder fruit and vegetable producers are far from markets, and thus higher is the risk of post-harvest deterioration from the horticultural farmers. It is fact that a majority of villages have no access to electricity and most of them are found in remote locations to electricity. A self-sustainable cold storage can thus help to save valuable agricultural produce and this will make the farmers energy independent and also ensure their empowerment as they can reap the benefits of high quality vegetable market. Therefore there is a need for self-reliable and sustainable cold storages near the agricultural fields from the remote.
