Iowa State’s Bioeconomy Institute Names New Leadership, Outlines Next Phase of Growth
Susan McNicholl, Iowa State University Office of the Vice President for Research
Posted Aug 19, 2025
Iowa State University’s Bioeconomy Institute is entering a new era with the appointment of director Lisa Schulte Moore, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agricultural and Life Sciences, and three associate directors—Xianglan Bai, professor of mechanical engineering, Mark Mba Wright, professor of mechanical engineering, and Andy VanLoocke, associate professor of agronomy. Together, they are building on the institute’s 18-year legacy while crafting a new strategic plan to advance a circular, producer-first bioeconomy that intertwines science, engineering, and economics to deliver real-world impact.
The bioeconomy refers to the use of renewable resources—such as crops, crop residues, and organic wastes—to produce food, energy, materials, and high-value chemicals. By replacing fossil-based feedstocks with renewable ones, the bioeconomy can create new markets for farmers and strengthen rural economies while promoting a clean environment.
Bioeconomy Institute’s History and Growth
Founded in 2007 out of the Bioeconomy Initiative, the Bioeconomy Institute emerged from a rich lineage of energy and materials research. Under the founding leadership of Robert Brown, the institute led breakthroughs in biomass conversion technologies and launched Iowa’s first bioeconomy roadmap. In 2022, Schulte Moore became co-director, alongside Brown, and the institute also became synonymous with agricultural collaboration and innovation.
Advancing the Bioeconomy
Researchers at the Bioeconomy Institute have long been motivated by Iowa State’s motto of “science with practice.” With Schulte Moore at the helm, the next phase of the Bioeconomy Institute will lean heavily on Iowa State’s land-grant DNA of discovery, education, and extension. The plan is both simple and ambitious: weave together discovery, pilot-scale conversion, and real-world economics—then carry it forward through partnerships, workforce development, and Iowa State extension network. In Schulte Moore’s words, the bioeconomy works “when hearts, minds, and pocketbooks align,” and that alignment is the north star for the institute’s updated strategy.
“The challenges that we’re working to solve…they’re bigger than any individual,” she explains. “It takes transdisciplinary collaboration to make progress.”
Meet the Leadership Team
Lisa Schulte Moore, Director
An internationally recognized expert in sustainable agriculture and landscape ecology, and a 2021 MacArthur Fellow, Schulte Moore brings a systems-thinking approach that integrates environmental stewardship with economic opportunity. Schulte Moore envisions the Bioeconomy Institute as an ongoing hub for finding solutions to complex challenges.
Her grounding in farmer-focused research keeps the institute’s work tied to rural realities.
Xianglan Bai, Associate Director
A mechanical engineer specializing in thermochemical conversion, Bai leads bench research on transforming biomass into biofuels and advanced materials. Her work with lignin-based carbon fibers bridges laboratory innovations and market solutions.
“People often think the bioeconomy is just good from an environmental or climate aspect but that economically it’s not attractive. Our challenge is to change this,” she says. “Consumers will choose the bio-based product if it offers a similar price to what they normally use.”
Mark Mba Wright, Associate Director
An expert in sustainable energy systems and life-cycle assessment, Mba Wright helps connect technology development with economic and environmental realities. He has been associated with the Bioeconomy Institute since its inception and has become the expert in forecasting the potential economic impacts of its innovations.
“A big mission of the institute is that we help scientists understand the broader commercial and human implications of the research that they conduct,” he explains. “More specifically, we try to evaluate the costs and benefits of emerging technologies in order to find opportunities either to make commercial products better or more economically viable.”
Andy VanLoocke, Associate Director
An agronomist whose work connects crop science and climate, VanLoocke brings both scientific insight and a farmer’s perspective. While his research includes perennial crops like miscanthus, he emphasizes the importance of market certainty for adoption.
“Producers want to know how can I sell this? We need to have a market locked in before they can even put a new crop in the ground,” he says. “People grow miscanthus for profit in Iowa… it’s not completely hypothetical. This is happening now.”
Robert Brown continues involvement with the institute as founding and consulting director. The leadership team also includes two long-time professional and scientific staff members, deputy director Ryan Smith and assistant director of grants Scott Moseley.