Centers, Institutes and Laboratories
Core Research Facilities and Centers
South Dakota State University is equipped with an extensive network of core research facilities and centers that enable world-class research and innovation.
These facilities provide faculty, researchers and students with access to state-of-the-art equipment, specialized resources and expert technical support to drive discoveries across a variety of disciplines.
Advanced Research Centers and Institutes
The university is home to a range of advanced research centers and institutes that drive innovation, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and address pressing challenges at the local, national and global levels.
These centers and institutes provide researchers with cutting-edge facilities, specialized expertise and opportunities for transformative discoveries across a variety of disciplines.
Service Laboratories and Core Facilities
The institution provides a variety of core laboratories and services that support interdisciplinary research across its academic units.
Centers
Animal Science Complex SAS-Box 2207
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station | South Dakota State University
The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station supports agricultural innovation through field trials, crop breeding programs and livestock research.
It was established in 1887 and is the largest public- and privately-funded research organization in the state. It has six field stations and more than 17,000 acres of land across the state devoted to scientific exploration.
As the research arm of SDSU's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, the station conducts innovative research that enhances agricultural productivity, sustainability and economic viability.
Its key focus areas comprise of development of climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming practices, precision agriculture and innovative technologies, livestock health, nutrition and productivity, and soil health and water resource management. The station's notable achievements include pioneering research on drought-tolerant crop varieties and innovative studies on precision farming techniques. It provides critical insights and practical solutions for farmers and agricultural industries both locally and nationally.
Cottonwood Field Station
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
23738 Fairview Road, Philip, South Dakota
SDSU Cottonwood Field Station | South Dakota State University
The Cottonwood Field Station was established in 1907 by the Agricultural Experiment Station at South Dakota State University. Since 1907, the National Weather Service has maintained a Climatological Benchmark Weather Station. This is one of the oldest weather stations in South Dakota to operate on the same site on a continuing basis.
Minimum and maximum temperatures are recorded daily along with precipitation and evaporation data. Soil temperatures at six different depths are also recorded.
It specializes in studying livestock production in semiarid conditions with a focus on optimizing forage use and grazing systems. Key focus research areas include forage quality improvement and grazing intensity optimization, livestock nutrition and health in challenging environments and drought-resistant forage crop development.
The station offers research specific features such as facilities for large-scale grazing trials and nutritional analysis laboratories for livestock feed studies. The station provides solutions for livestock producers facing climatic challenges, thus ensuring economic sustainability.
Dakota Lakes Research Farm
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
21310 308th Ave., Pierre, South Dakota
SDSU Dakota Lakes Research Farm | South Dakota State University
The Dakota Lakes Research Farm is located east of Pierre, South Dakota, and is renowned for its focus on sustainable agriculture, particularly in no-till farming and water conservation practices.
Its proximity to semiarid regions provides a critical environment for studying agriculture in water-limited conditions. Its key research areas consist of no-till farming systems and their impact on soil health, water-efficient crop production techniques, and integration of cover crops for erosion control and nutrient cycling.
The farm is uniquely positioned to provide on-site demonstration plots that highlight innovative farming methods and state-of-the-art irrigation systems for precision water management. The impact of the research farm is significant in targeted areas such as sustainable farming practices in semiarid regions, farm irrigation and soil sustainability.
Center of Excellence for Bison Studies
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
Rapid City, South Dakota
Center of Excellence for Bison Studies | South Dakota State University
The Center of Excellence for Bison Studies was formally launched in September 2020 as a partnership between South Dakota State University, the National Bison Association and the National Buffalo Foundation. The Center of Excellence for Bison Studies is headquartered at the SDSU West River Research and Extension in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture to recognize centers of excellence in research, extension and education in the food and agricultural sciences.
The Center of Excellence for Bison Studies is coordinated through SDSU but includes active participation by researchers and extension officials from other land-grant universities, including tribal land-grant colleges and universities. The center is collaborative partnership among SDSU, the National Bison Association and the National Buffalo Foundation. The center focuses on research activities that aim to improve the understanding, management and health of bison and the economic viability of all bison producers and managers.
Mesonet at SDState
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
Statewide
With the support of local station sponsors, the Mesonet at SDState is the South Dakota's live weather network with over 100 station locations serving the general public, agriculture, natural resources, emergency management and research.
The Mesonet is a network of automated weather stations that provides high-definition weather coverage: areas of just a few hundred square miles and time intervals of several times per hour. This can be contrasted with the typical coverage that is thousands of square miles and hourly.
Mesonets excel in providing high-precision data particularly with highly variable elements like wind and precipitation.
Northeast Research Farm
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
15710 455 Ave., South Shore, South Dakota
SDSU Northeast Research Farm | South Dakota State University
Northeastern South Dakota has traditionally been an important small grain-producing area. Small grains are still important, but row crops, primarily corn and soybeans have assumed increased importance and activities at the station have reflected the changing crop mix in the area. This location has been and continues to be used extensively by the small grains plant breeders. Breeding efforts include the following crops: spring wheat, winter wheat, oats and forages. A major focus of breeders has been the development of lines resistant to biotic and abiotic stress.
Summer field tours are held each year and fall row-crop tours are also being held. Attendance at the tours has been excellent in recent years, ranging from 150-350.
Current and proposed activities at the farm are discussed each year with the Northeast Research Farm Advisory Board. The advisory board consists of a farmer representative from each of the 10 counties (Brown, Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Marshall, Roberts and Spink) in the northeastern region and with area agronomy, farm management and extension educators. The advisory board has helped shape the direction of research at the station and has been helpful in obtaining increased support.
Oak Lake Field Station
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
19862 483rd Ave., Astoria, South Dakota
Oak Lake Field Station | South Dakota State University
The Oak Lake Field Station consists of grassland, oak forest, wetland and lake environments, providing hands-on learning and research opportunities particularly for those students interested in management of natural resources.
The field station hosts university research focused on biofuels development, the variety of life of prairie communities, management of invasive species, optimizing pollinator habitat, prairie pothole and stream ecology. Facilities on site also service environmental education, university field courses, conferences, colloquia, retreats and community service events.
The station operates under a strategic management plan with a mission of: To increase the understanding and appreciation of the Northern Great Plains and foster ecosystem stewardship through education, research and service.
Southeast Research Farm
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
29974 University Road, Beresford, South Dakota
SDSU Southeast Research Farm | South Dakota State University
The Southeast Research Farm focuses on crop production, soil fertility and integrated pest management, providing critical insights for row crop agriculture in South Dakota.
Key research areas consist of development of high-yield crop varieties adapted to regional conditions, soil health improvement strategies, including nutrient management and organic amendments, and biological and chemical pest control solutions. The station offers distinctive features such as advanced soil testing facilities and greenhouse space for controlled experiments and partnerships with local farmers for on-farm research trials. Its impact is targeted toward the enhancement of productivity and sustainability of crop farming in the region.
West River Research Farm
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
13304 Alkali Road, Sturgis
SDSU West River Research Farm | South Dakota State University
The West River Research Farm is comprised of 111 acres located northwest of Sturgis. The farm was acquired by South Dakota State University in 2018. It focuses on agronomic and livestock research for conditions similar to those in western South Dakota.
Researchers perform grazing, cover crop and variety trials. Key research projects include innovations in conversion to organic farming, wheat and corn nitrogen fertility trials, and using cover crops and manure to offset disease risk in wheat.
SDSU's statewide network of weather stations, called Mesonet at SDState, has a weather station located at the West River Research Farm.
2301 Research Park Way, Suite 113, Brookings, SD
Research Park At SDSU | Innovation and Startup Hub
The Research Park at SDSU strives to provide an environment where businesses are grown, and knowledge, research and resources are turned into economic opportunities by fostering collaboration and partnerships between SDSU, businesses, industries and governments.
Located on 125 acres, the Research Park at SDSU provides over one million square feet of first-class office space, laboratories, conference rooms and greenhouse space. The Park was formerly known as the SDSU Innovation Campus.
POET Bioproducts Center
Research Park Way, Brookings, SD
Through the support of POET, the state of South Dakota and other members of the Bio Leadership Coalition, the POET Bioproducts Center was constructed at the Research Park at SDSU. The first-of-its-kind innovative ecosystem between students, faculty and industry partners will allow collaboration on the next generation of bioproducts.
The facility and its operating body, Dakota BioWorx, represent a public-private partnership that will enhance research, economic development and workforce preparation in South Dakota.
Spec Building
Research Park Way, Brookings, SD
This commercial property, developed by Lloyd Companies, offers a variety of options tailored to your business needs and is a fantastic opportunity to establish your presence in Brookings, South Dakota!
Conveniently located with high visibility from I-29, it boasts easy access to two interchanges and proximity to the SDSU campus, Walmart, Lowe’s and other major destinations. On the first level, 15,000 square feet are finished and move-in ready. The second level offers up to 15,000 square feet of potential space.
Young Brothers Seed Lab Testing, South Dakota State University
Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science
2380 Research Park Way, Suite 136, Brookings, SD
SDSU Seed Testing Lab | South Dakota State University
The Seed Testing Laboratory tests seed samples for farmers, seed breeders, agronomists and seed companies throughout the U.S. The lab is also the South Dakota state lab and conducts testing for the South Dakota Crop Improvement Association, SDSU Foundation Seed Stocks and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture. The lab is equipped with the modern testing equipment necessary to perform tests on the seeds of agricultural crops, grasses, flowers, trees and vegetables.
Air Quality Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Location: Room 229
The lab aims to address air quality challenges related to agricultural activities. Current projects include bioaerosol characterization within and around swine production facilities, development of an odor footprint tool for North Dakota, cybersecurity for agricultural LoRaWAN IoT networks, and electrochemically-assisted anaerobic digestion of livestock wastewater.
Anaerobic Processes Animal Structures Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Location: Room 227
In the lab, cutting-edge research is conducted to develop inexpensive, real-time and portable biosensors for agricultural and biological applications.
The main focus of this research lab is to develop innovative tools and solutions to address everyday challenges in farming. The lab is fully equipped with laser cutters/engravers, screen printers and thin film coating machines to make sensors with the goal of solving the current problems and challenges faced by our growers.
Analytical Chemistry Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Location: Room 282
The lab is developing advanced materials and value-added products from agricultural byproducts through innovative preparation processing and technologies. Our research employs advanced materials synthesis techniques such as room temperature plasma enhanced CVD, Joule Heating Higher energy laser engraving, in-situ crosslink and polymerization, and extrusion to improve solid electrolytes for next generation solid state lithium-ion batteries, food and animal feed packaging materials and seed coating layers.
Biomass Conversion and Biofuels Laboratories
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Crothers Engineering Hall 345 and 347
Biofuels Research Laboratory | South Dakota State University
The primary objectives of the Biomass Conversion and Biofuels Laboratories is to assess and optimize the pathways of producing liquid, gaseous and solid biofuels and value-added bioproducts via thermochemical conversion (pyrolysis, gasification and torrefaction); assess biomass feedstocks of interest for creating bioproducts; and evaluate the created biofuels and bioproducts, with the overarching goal of developing technologies for advancing the bioeconomy.
Its research impacts include economic growth via value-added biofuels and job growth in production in rural areas.
Biomass Processing and Material Handling Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Location: Room 175
The lab aims to creatively apply thermochemical theories, catalysis sciences and artificial intelligence technologies in the research of bioenergy and biorefinery, food safety and precision agriculture. The research team is currently focusing on developing cost-effective technologies to produce different biomaterials and/or valued-added bioproducts, such as sustainable aviation fuel, biopolymer-based nanocomposites, biochar-based smart fertilizers, etc., from various renewable resources.
Crop Quality Laboratory
Department:
Location:
It is a 2,300-square-foot laboratory equipped to determine physical, chemical and sensory traits of agricultural materials and ingredients that define food quality. Capabilities include milling, rheology, baking, cereal product development and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy.
Fluid Mechanics Laboratory
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Crothers Engineering Hall
Fluid Mechanics Laboratory | South Dakota State University
The Fluid Mechanics Laboratory contains an open-channel/wave mechanics flume, a pipe circuit apparatus, a portable tilting flume and a hydraulic bench with several devices to demonstrate the principles of energy, momentum and other flow phenomena. There is also a small teaching laboratory on the second floor with a pump test unit, a flow visualization tank, a water hammer apparatus and a Reynolds apparatus for demonstrating instability of flow through a pipe.
Undergraduate students also use this laboratory for independent research studies including the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. K-12 outreach activities include the Big Sioux Water Festival and Youth Engineering Adventure/Summer Scholars, which are held annually in May and July, respectively, at SDSU.
Food Processing and Extrusion Wet Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Raven Precision Agriculture Center
Ren Yang | South Dakota State University
The lab is dedicated to enhancing the safety and quality of a wide range of food products through innovative processing and sanitation technologies. Research in this lab employs advanced techniques such as humidity-controlled heat, UV lights, lasers and cold plasma to improve the microbial safety of products, including peanut butter, chocolate, dried fruits, vegetables, herbs and fresh produce like cucumbers and cantaloupes.
Geotechnical Laboratory
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Crothers Engineering Hall
Geotechnical Laboratory | South Dakota State University
Facilities and equipment in the Geotechnical Laboratory support faculty and student research in index testing and soil property testing. Equipment that supports research beyond teaching includes field sample receipt and extrusion, specimen preparation, data acquisition capabilities and pavement and soil support materials testing (corrosion, subgrade performance, etc.).
The laboratory space provides a working and practice area for the Geo-institute (ASCE) Geowall Competition Teams in preparation for both regional and national competitions.
Image Processing Laboratory
McComish Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
The SDSU Image Processing Laboratory is known worldwide as one of the premier satellite calibration laboratories. It enables radiometric characterization and calibration of satellite and airborne visible and near infrared imaging systems, estimation of sensor points spread functions and geometric characterization of sensor systems. It works closely with U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation and Science Center and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, particularly with respect to the Landsat series of satellite sensors.
Lohr Structures Laboratory
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Crothers Engineering Hall
J. Lohr Structures Laboratory | South Dakota State University
The Lohr Structures Laboratory is located in Crothers Engineering Hall on the campus of South Dakota State University. Covering an area of 4,000 square feet, the lab is a high-bay/strong-floor structural testing facility that is configured to accommodate large- and full-scale test specimens.
Engineering faculty members at SDSU utilize the Lohr Structures Laboratory for research, teaching and outreach activities in the field of structural engineering. Research projects that have been performed at the lab include a variety of full- and large-scale specimens of bridge girders and components, composite floors and beams, structural walls and industrial products.
In addition to meeting the research needs, the Lohr Structures Laboratory provides testing services to local and regional industries.
Machine Vision and Optical Sensors Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Raven Precision Agriculture Center 104
Machine Vision and Optical Sensor Lab – SDSU
The lab focuses on advancing precision agriculture by harnessing cutting-edge technologies. The Machine Vision and Optical Sensors Lab uses specialized imaging techniques, such as multispectral, hyperspectral and fluorescence imaging, to detect and manage crop diseases and pests more effectively. The lab develops custom AI-driven computer vision models and builds specialized agricultural robots and drones. These autonomous systems feature capabilities such as robotic harvesting for specialty crops and see and spray technology for targeted pest and weed management.
Mechanical Bread Boarding Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Location: Room 233
The lab is dedicated to revolutionizing agricultural practices through the integration of cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, imaging, sensors and advanced communication systems.
Current projects encompass a range of innovative initiatives such as "From Satellite to Cloud: Novel Methods for Ensuring Agricultural Data Confidentiality and Integrity," "Connected Edge Computing for AI-based Agroecosystems: Harnessing Big Data and Connected Technology for Sustainable Production" and the "RAISE Program: Robotics, AI and Sensor Education in K-14 Agriculture and STEM."
Microgrid Laboratory
Department of Biology and Microbiology
It supports AC or DC microgrids with high-speed and prolonged data acquisition. Power generation of 23kW can be remotely configured to meet voltage and power requirements of grid-tied photovoltaics, charge controllers or conventional generation.
Other capabilities include a weather station, centralized electric power interface, real-time digital simulator, manual and programmable load banks and energy storage.
Microimaging Laboratory
Department of Biology and Microbiology
It comprises of three research‐grade microscopes, computer image analysis and an Olympus Fluoview FV300 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope.
Organic Electronics Laboratory
Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering
It is equipped for material synthesis and device fabrication. Work in this laboratory focuses on the development of organic semiconductors and organic photovoltaic cells.
Power System Resilience and Control Laboratory
McComish Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Crothers Engineering Hall
Power System Resilience and Control Laboratory | South Dakota State University
The Power System Resilience and Control Laboratory is dedicated to enhancing the resilience and control performance of electric power systems, ranging from small microgrids to continental bulk power grids. It develops both physics-based and statistical models for cascading failure simulation, analysis and mitigation for reduced risk of large-scale blackouts and enhanced power system resilience. It develops distributed control algorithms for AC/DC microgrids to achieve better system-level performance and coordination among multiple energy sources.
Soil Health and Water Quality – HydroSolve Lab
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Location: Room 268 and 270
A dedicated research group focused on advanced modeling and hydroinformatics solutions for water management. The lab’s mission is to tackle complex water challenges and contribute to sustainable water resource management through innovative approaches and innovative technologies. Our lab combines state-of-the-art computational tools with a deep understanding of hydrological processes to develop effective solutions for water management problems. We utilize advanced modeling techniques, data analytics and optimization algorithms to gain insights into water systems and inform decision-making processes.
