Ernest Minton, Head 
Yi Zheng, Director of Graduate Studies

303 Shellenberger Hall
785-532-6161
Fax: 785-532-7010
grains@k-state.edu
http://www.grains.ksu.edu

Programs

The Department of Grain Science and Industry offers courses of study leading to degrees of master of science and doctor of philosophy in grain science. Grain science faculty collaborate with the scientists at the USDA Grain Marketing Research Laboratories and the American Institute of Baking and there are graduate programs that are collaborative with those laboratories.

Modern teaching and research facilities include a pilot flour mill, feed mill, bakery, extrusion laboratory, and grain storage and handling facility. In addition, more than 10 cereal chemistry laboratories are equipped with visible and ultraviolet spectrophotometers near infrared analyzers, an infrared microspectrometer, gas chromatographs, liquid chromatographs, ultra centrifuge, freeze drying apparatus, balances, rapid viscosity analyzer, differential scanning calorimeter, thermo-mechanical analyzer, classical rheometer (Instron), dynamic rheometers, gel electrophoresis apparatus, a full array of glassware, rapid analyzers for nitrogen, fiber, and glucose, as well as recording mixers and starch viscometers.

The department has academic interest in the milling industry with particular emphasis on milling and baking properties of wheat cultivars since 1905. The wheat milling facilities range from a bench-scale mill (batch of 0.5 kg of grain) to a pilot mill with a capacity of 1 MT/hour. Specialty dry mills also are available to purify, fractionate, and grind any seed-like material, including all cereals, legumes, pulses, spices, and gums. Plans for a wet-milling laboratory for grain are progressing.

Another unique feature of the department is its fully functional pilot feed mill for research and development studies by university, industry, and government organizations. The feed mill at Kansas State University houses the latest in equipment in the feed milling industry. Its capabilities include cleaning and receiving raw materials, classification of raw materials, grinding and pelleting, flaking, or extruding. A premix room for microingredients and a large-scale batching system facilitate accurate proportioning and weighing of feed ingredients. The feed mill is capable of producing nearly all physical forms of formulated animal feeds. Plans for construction of new facilities are in progress.

A food-grade extrusion processing facility, houses a Wenger model X-20 single-screw extruder, a Wenger model TX-52 twin-screw extruder, and a gas-fired belt dryer.

Departmental facilities for research include well-equipped laboratories for all areas of research in cereal chemistry. This includes laboratories equipped for chemical research and special laboratories equipped for studies of the physical properties of flour, doughs and food systems. Pilot bakery facilities provide an excellent environment for teaching and research. A fully-equipped computer laboratory is available to all students.

Admission

Correspondence and questions regarding Graduate School are handled by the chair of the Graduate Program Committee, and the graduate services coordinator. Information and application forms can be found on the department website. http://www.grains.ksu.edu/grad/

Applicants need to complete the Graduate School application form, obtain and submit the official transcripts and three letters of recommendation and form. Additionally, applicants should write a well-thought out statement of objectives which should include the discipline area in which the student has an interest and desires to perform research. Applicants should have a B average or better and have completed courses in Mathematics, including College Algebra, Calculus and Statistics; Chemistry, including Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry; Physics and Biological Sciences. Send all application materials to the attention of the Graduate Program.

All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. The Grain Science Graduate Program Committee prefers a minimum TOEFL score of 90, and a minimum score of 7 on the IELTS. We give preference to students with higher TOEFL scores and academic records.

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required. The minimum scores are: verbal-146, quantitative-148, and 3.0-analytical. Copies should be submitted with the application.

International students must provide a completed financial form and evidence of financial support for their graduate training.

When the application materials are in hand, the department’s graduate program committee will evaluate them and provide a recommendation of action. A student that is found to be acceptable will then be submitted to the graduate faculty for possible selection. No student will be admitted without a major professor identified. Once a student is matched with a major professor the application is then forwarded to the department head for approval and then to the Graduate School. The Graduate School has the ultimate authority for graduate admission.

Assistantships

Graduate research assistantships in grain science and industry are designed to support the research project areas of the individual faculty members. Those projects may be Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station projects directed by the faculty member or sponsored research projects funded by industrial, state, or federal agencies. In all cases, the decisions regarding support and awarding of assistantships are made on a competitive basis. Funds are not always adequate to award assistantships to all students who would like support. Decisions regarding initial and continuing support are based on both academic performance and research progress. Failure to maintain high quality academic work or research activity can be reason to cancel or discontinue an assistantship.