Brian Jacobson joined IBRL in February 2012 and is responsible for leadership of the IBRL and FSHN Pilot Processing Plant facilities. He also serves as the Program Manager for Infrastructure for the iFAB Tech Hub and on the advisory board of the Biomass Innovation Hub. He is responsible for oversight of the pilot plant facilities’ technical and operations teams while helping coordinate development of bioprocessing infrastructure in East-Central Illinois. Brian is active in the food and bioprocessing industry, serving as chair of the BioMADE Fermentation Scale-Up Subcommittee, a judge on the XPRIZE: Feed the Next Billion prize challenge, advising startup companies, and is a member of numerous related associations and organizations. He also supports workforce development programs and classes in the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering and the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition.
Brian graduated with two degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has a BS in Agricultural Engineering (Technical Systems Management) with a minor in Business Administration, and a Masters in Food Science & Human Nutrition. He is also a graduate from the Professional Staff Leadership Academy and holds several business management certifications. Prior to joining IBRL, Brian worked at a manufacturing firm overseeing large-scale automated equipment installations, ensuring new projects were completed on schedule while meeting applicable quality and regulatory standards. He has managed large teams (70+) and has extensive project management and business development experience.