Tony E Grift
Tony E Grift
  • Professor
(217) 333-2854
360 J Agricultural Engr Sciences Bld

Education

  • Ph.D., Engineering, University of Arkansas, 1998
  • M.S., Systems and Control in Agricultural Engineering, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands, 1992
  • B.S., Industrial Automation. Utrecht Polytechnic, The Netherlands, 1987

Academic Positions

  • Professor, Aug 2019, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Associate Professor, Aug 2008 - Aug 2019, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Assistant Professor, Aug 2002 - Aug 2008, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois
  • Assistant Professor, Aug 1998 - Aug 2002, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Auburn University
  • Graduate Research Assistant, 1995-1998, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas
  • Research Engineer, 1993-1995, Department of Agricultural Engineering & Physics, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands
  • System Engineer, 1992-1993, Vertis Information Technology, Veendam, The Netherlands
  • First Lieutenant Instructor, 1987-1989, Royal Netherlands Airforce

Research Interests

  • Advanced machinery for biosystems applications
  • Agricultural Robotics
  • Biosystems Automation
  • Engineering Solutions for Biomass Feedstock Production

Chapters in Books

  • Transportation Grift, T. E., Miao, Z., Hansen, A. C. & Ting, K. C. Oct 1 2013 Engineering and Science of Biomass Feedstock Production and Provision. Springer New York, p. 141-164 24 p.
  • Lignocellulosic biomass feedstock supply logistics and system integration Miao, Z., Shastri, Y., Grift, T. E. & Ting, K. C. 2013 Biomass Processing, Conversion and Biorefinery. Nova Science Publishers, Inc., p. 37-60 24 p.

Selected Articles in Journals

Articles in Conference Proceedings

  • Mathanker, S. K., A. C. Hansen, T. E. Grift, and K. C. Ting. 2012. Sensing miscanthus stem bending force and swathed biomass volume to predict yield. In Proc. Science for Biomass Feedstock Production and Utilization, Knoxville, TN: Sun Grant Initiative.
  • Mathanker, S. K., J. D. Maughan, A. C. Hansen, and T. E. Grift. 2012. LIDAR based biomass yield estimation. ASABE Meeting Paper No. 121338186. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • Mathanker, S. K., J. D. Maughan, A. C. Hansen, and T. E. Grift. 2012. Development of on-vehicle sensing and mapping system for bioenergy crop harvesting. ASABE Meeting Paper No.121338179. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • Mathanker, S. K., J. D. Maughan, A. C. Hansen, T. E. Grift, and K. C. Ting. 2012. Biomass yield estimation using LIDAR and load cells. 2nd Annual Society of Postdoctoral Scholars Symposium, Urbana, IL: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • Maughan, J. D., S. K. Mathanker, B. M. Fehrenbacher, T. E. Grift, and A. C. Hansen. 2012. Impact of cutting speed, blade type, and blade angle on miscanthus harvesting power requirement. ASABE Meeting Paper No. 121338182. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • Maughan, J. D., S. K. Mathanker, T. E. Grift, and A. C. Hansen. 2012. Yield monitor and mapping systems for hay and forage harvesting: A review. ASABE Meeting Paper No. 121338184. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • Johnson, P. C., C. L. Clementson, S. K. Mathanker, A. C. Hansen, and T. E. Grift. 2011. Cutting energy for selected bioenergy plant stalks. ASABE Meeting Paper No. 1110800. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • Johnson, P., Clementson, C.L., A.C. Hansen, and T.E. Grift, 2011. Harvesting biomass feedstock as a source for energy. ASABE Meeting Paper No. 1110800. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • Zhang, L., T.E. Grift. 2010. A New Approach to Crop-Row Detection in Corn. ASABE Paper No. 1009237. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • Miao, Z., T.E. Grift, Hansen, A.C., Ting, K.C. 2010. Specific energy consumption of biomass particle production and particle physical property. ASABE Paper No. 1008497. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE.
  • H. Jeon, L. Tian, T.E. Grift, L. Bode, A. Hager. 2009. Plant Specific Direct Chemical Application Field Robot. ASAE Paper No. 095697. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • H. Jeon, L. Tian, T.E. Grift, L. Bode, A. Hager. 2009. Stereovision System and Image Processing Algorithms for Plant Specific Application. ASAE Paper No. 090047. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Bac, C.W., T.E. Grift,, K. Bhalerao, G. Menezes. 2009. A Laser Based Tabletop Localization System For Educational Robots. ASAE Paper No. 090050. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Piron, E., D. Miclet, T.E. Grift, and G. Kweon. 2006. 3D velocity measurement of fertiliser with an optical sensor; practical issues. In: Second International Symposium on Centrifugal Fertiliser Spreading Cemagref, Montoldre, France, October 24-25, 2006.
  • Grift, T.E. and G. Kweon. 2006. Uniformity Control of a Granular Fertiliser Spreader using Feed Gate Adaptation. In: Second International Symposium on Centrifugal Fertiliser Spreading Cemagref, Montoldre, France, October 24-25, 2006.
  • Grift, T.E. and G. Kweon. 2006. Development of a Uniformity Controlled Granular Fertilizer Spreader. ASAE Paper No. 061069. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Nishiwaki, K., N. Kondo, M. Kise, Q. Zhang, T.E. Grift, L. Tian, and K.C. Ting. 2006. Feasibility of using Polarizing Filters to reduce Halation Effects during Image Acquisition in the Field. ASAE Paper No. 063009. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Grift, T.E., R. Ehsani, N. Nishiwaki, C. Crespi and M. Min. 2006. Development of a Yield Monitor for Citrus Fruits. ASAE Paper No. 061192. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Jeon, H.Y., L.F. Tian and T.E. Grift. 2005. Development of an individual weed treatment system using a robotic arm. ASAE Paper No. 051004. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Grift, T.E., M. Kasten and Y. Nagasaka. 2005. Robotics in Agriculture: Asimov meets Corn. In: Proceedings 2005 Illinois Crop Protection Technology Conference. Jan 5-6 2005. Urbana, IL.
  • Hofstee, J.W., T.E. Grift and L. Tian. 2004. Implementation of ECTS in agricultural engineering in The Netherlands In: Proceedings 3rd workshop. - Dijon : 2004 - p. 93 - 97.
  • Hofstee, J.W., T.E. Grift and L. Tian. 2004. Development of a Tracking and Guidance System for a Field Robot. AgEng conference paper. Sept. 13-15, 2004, Leuven Belgium.
  • McDonald, T.P.; Rummer, R.B.; Grift, T.E. 2003. Diameter sensors for tree-length harvesting systems. In: M. I. Wide and B. Baryd, Proceedings of the 2nd Forest Engineering Conference; Vaxjo, Sweden. Skogforsk, Uppsala, Sweden. 45-54.
  • Grift, T.E. and A.C. Hansen. 2003. LEGO Mindstorms Robots as a Teaching Tool in Agricultural Education. ASAE Paper No. 033134. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Grift, T.E. 2003. A Low-cost Root Collar Diameter Measurement System for Pine Seedlings. ASAE Paper No. 035003. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Osborne, J.A. and T.E. Grift. 2002. A Simple Linear Boolean Model for Mass Flow. Joint Statistical Meetings of the American Statistical Association, Physical Sciences and Engineering Section.
  • Tekeste, M.Z., T.E. Grift and R.L. Raper. 2002. Acoustic Compaction Layer Detection. ASAE Paper No. 021089. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Raper, R.L., T.E. Grift and M.Z. Tekeste. 2002. A Portable Tillage Profiler for Measuring Subsoiling Effectiveness. ASAE Paper No. 021138. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE.
  • Taylor, S.E., T.P. McDonald, M.W. Veal, and T.E. Grift. 2001. Using GPS to Evaluate Productivity and Performance of Forest Machine Systems. In Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Precision Forestry. University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
  • Hall, H. E., R. L. Raper, T.E. Grift and D. W. Reeves. 2000. Development of an on-the-fly mechanical impedance sensor and evaluation in a coastal plains soil.
  • Grift, T. E., J. T. Walker and D. R. Gardisser. 1997. Spread pattern analysis of ram air fertilizer spreaders. ASAE Paper AA97-003. NAAA/ASAE Joint Technical Session, December 6, 1997. Las Vegas, NV.
  • Hofstee, J.W., T.E. Grift, and L. Speelman. 1994. Development of a New Method for Spread Pattern Determination, Proceedings Congress on Agricultural Engineering, Milan, 1994.
  • Grift, T.E. and J. Bontsema. 1991. Application of Fast Fourier Transformation in Plant Detection. Proceedings Symposium SOR '91, Heijen, The Netherlands, 27-28 Nov. 1991.
  • Bontsema, J., T.E. Grift, and K. Pleijsier. 1991. Mechanical Weed Control in Sugar Beet Growing: Detection of a Plant in a Row. In: Hashimoto, Y., Day, W. (Eds.), Mathematical and Control Applications in Agriculture and Horticulture. Matsuyama, Japan, pp. 207–212.

Magazine Articles

Teaching Honors

  • List of teachers ranked as excellent by their students (Spring, 2018)
  • North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Educator Award. (2017)
  • Ben & Georgeann Jones Excellence in Teaching Award. (2017)
  • List of teachers ranked as excellent by their students (Fall, 2016)
  • Ben & Georgeann Jones Excellence in Teaching Award. (2015)
  • List of teachers ranked as excellent by their students (Fall, 2014)
  • IET Meeting Paper Award, American Society of Agricultural Engineers, (T.E. Grift, A.C. Hansen). (2003)

Research Honors

  • EurAgEng Outstanding Paper Award (T.E. Grift, C. Crespi). (2010)
  • ASABE Superior Paper Award, (T.E. Grift, J.W. Hofstee). (2003)
  • ASABE Superior Paper Award, (T.E. Grift, J.T. Walker, J.W. Hofstee). (2002)

Public Service Honors

  • ASABE Fellow. (2019)
  • ASABE Presidential Citation, (T.E. Grift). (2015)
  • ASABE Presidential Citation, (T.E. Grift). (2011)

Other Honors

  • Japanese Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS) Fellowship (2005)

Recent Courses Taught

  • ABE 223 - ABE Principles: Machine Syst
  • ABE 227 - Comp Aid Problem-Solving ABE I
  • ABE 425 - Engrg Measurement Systems
  • ABE 463 - Electrohydraulic Systems
  • ABE 594 - Graduate Seminar
  • ETMA 363 (TSM 363) - Fluid Power Systems
  • ETMA 435 (TSM 435) - Elec Computer Ctrl Sys
  • TSM 262 - Off-Road Equipment Management
  • TSM 594 - Graduate Seminar

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