Vijay Singh

Dr. Vijay Singh is a Founder Professor in Grainger College of Engineering and Distinguished Professor of Bioprocessing in the College of ACES at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He serves as Executive Director of the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) and Deputy Director of the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, with additional appointments as Professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition and Faculty Affiliate at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology.

His research focuses on developing bioprocessing technologies for corn/biomass conversion to ethanol, advanced biofuels, and industrial products. Dr. Singh's work bridges plant biotechnology and industrial processing, leading innovations in renewable products within the industrial biotech space. His research spans sustainable development and global security aspects of bioenergy systems, with particular expertise in biomass characterization using NIR spectroscopy and techno-economic analysis of biorefinery processes.

Dr. Singh's publication record demonstrates consistent focus on optimizing biofuel production systems, developing novel fractionation technologies, and creating economically viable pathways for value-added product recovery from agricultural feedstocks. His recent work emphasizes sustainable biomass characterization, process intensification, and integration of biotechnology with traditional processing methods to create next-generation biorefineries.

• University Scholar (2015), the highest honor given to faculty at University of Illinois
• International Food Engineer Award from American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (2020)
• Applied Research Award from American Association of Cereal Chemists International (2018)
• Fellow of American Association of Cereal Chemists International (2018)
• Distinguished Professor of Bioprocessing (2016)
• Young Scientist Award from American Association of Cereal Chemists (2007)

As Executive Director of IBRL, Dr. Singh provides leadership in developing industrial partnerships, bioprocess pilot-scale proof-of-concept activities, and techno-economic analyses to facilitate commercialization of innovative technologies. He has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator for over $229 million in research and center grants. His laboratory serves as a critical hub for translating academic research into practical industrial applications through close collaboration with industry partners.