Agroecology and Organic farming

Professor V.P. Singh is a University Distinguished Professor and Caroline and William N. Lehrer Distinguished Chair in Water Engineering at Texas A & M University. He received his B.S., M.S., Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees in engineering. He is a registered professional engineer, a registered professional hydrologist, and an Honorary diplomate of ASCE-AAWRE. He has published more than 885 journal articles; 25 textbooks; 59 edited reference books; 104 book chapters; and 315 conference papers in the area of hydrology and water resources. He has received more than 79 national and international awards. He is a member of 10 international science/engineering academies. He has served as President of the American Institute of Hydrology (AIH). He is editor-in-chief of three journals and two book series and serves on editorial boards of more than 25 journals and three book series.

Surface-water Hydrology, Groundwater Hydrology, Hydraulics, Irrigation Engineering, Environmental Quality and Water Resources. Principal research topics have encompassed:Watershed modeling, Erosion and Sediment Transport in Upland Watersheds,Streamflow Forecasting,Dam Break Analysis,Entropy-Based Modeling,Network Design,Groundwater Modeling, and Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change.

Dr. Batchelor earned a BS and MS in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia in 1986 and 1987. He served on the faculty of the University of Georgia from 1987-1990 as an Instructor, where he taught courses and conducted research in expert systems and simulating the effects of pest damage on crop growth. In 1993, Dr. Batchelor received a Ph.D in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Florida, followed by a post doctorate at Virginia Tech. In 1994, Dr. Batchelor joined the faculty of Iowa State University and established a nationally and internationally recognized program in crop growth modeling, working in areas including precision farming, biotic and abiotic stress physiology, crop management, yield forecasting and climate change. Dr. Batchelor served as the head of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Mississippi State University from 2005-2010. He also helped establish and served as Director of the Sustainable Energy Research Center and the Energy Institute at Mississippi State University. He led a team of over 50 faculty members to develop renewable energy from biomass feedstock. In 2010, Dr. Batchelor was appointed Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station at Auburn University and served in this role until May, 2015. Dr. Batchelor currently serves as Professor of Biosystems Engineering at Auburn University. During his career, Dr. Batchelor secured over $50 million in funding, published 75 peer reviewed journal articles and has given numerous presentations in over 20 countries. He served as the President of the Institute of Biological Engineers, Editor of the Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, served on the editorial board of the Journal Agricultural Systems and has received numerous paper awards. He has received numerous honors including being appointed a Hearin Eminent Scholar by Mississippi State University, named a Distinguished International professor by the University of Hohenheim, awarded the prestigious New Holland Young Researcher of the Year by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, received the Early Achievement in Research award from Iowa State University, and was selected by the National Academy of Engineering as one of the top 100 young engineers in the US in 2003. In 2009, Dr. Batchelor was elected as a Fellow in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers for his contributions to information and electrical technologies and biological engineering.

Professor William D. Batchelor's research program involves: crop growth modeling, precision farming, biotic and abiotic stress physiology, crop management, yield forecasting and climate change.

Zacch I. Olorunnipa was born and raised as a farm boy in the rural area of Nigeria, Africa. My educational training and professional career in Agriculture has spanned over 40 years. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria; M.S degree in Agric. Econs & and Post Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Education from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. In 1987, I completed my PhD degree in Agric. Econs at the University of Illinois, USA. From 1988 to June 2016 when I retired, I worked at the College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture (CESTA) now known as CAFS - College of Food and Agricultural Sciences. At CESTA and CAFS, I have served in various positions including Asst Professor, Assoc Professor, Professor, Director, Business and Information Technology (BIT) and Interim Director of Agric Sciences, CESTA. I have received a good number of teaching and research awards including Teacher of the Year award, Advanced/Distinguished Teacher of the Year award and First Place in Competitive paper presentation.

My research focus includes Agricultural Marketing, Price Analysis and Forecasting, Impact of technology on Agricultural Development, Food security and International Trade and Development. I have secured several teaching grants and have also been involved in farmers' training in Business and Financial planning, analysis and management in various countries in Africa and other parts of the world.

Hsu Jenn-Chung is a Retired professor of Animal Science department from National Chung Hsing University.

Animal Communications, Nutritional Biochemistry, Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition,Nutrition Assessment

He is been the research scientist 2007−present in the Department of Food Technology, Ataturk Central Horticultural Research Institute. He was also an auditor of 'Food Safety and Standards’ 2004−2007 in the Agriculture Ministry Office, Yalova, Turkey

Dr. Yasin Özdemir’s research program involves: New food technologies, Table olive technology, Food technology, Olive oil, Functional foods, Food safety.

Prof. Dr Dorien DeTombe is the founder and chair of the field Methodology for Societal Complexity. She developed the Compram Methodology for political decision making on complex societal issues like sustainable development, terrorism, credit crisis and water affairs. The Compram Methodology is advised by the OECD to handle Global Safety. She studied social science and computer science. Her doctorate is in Methodology for Societal Complexity. She spend her main carrier at Utrecht University and Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands, and is since 2015 connected with Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China. She published many books , more than 150 articles. She gives lectures and workshops as Visiting Professor and Conferences all over the world. She organizes yearly conferences and is editor of many journals. She is in the board of many research groups and established a world-wide research network on International Society on Methodology of Societal Complexity.

Dorien J. DeTombe is the founder of the field Methodology for Societal Complexity. She developed the Compram methodology for political decision making on complex societal issues like sustainable development, floods, large city problems, terrorism, healthcare, credit crisis and water affairs.

J S Prasad is a Formerly Principal Scientist & Head Directorate of Rice Research from the department of Entomology.

Dr.JS Prasad’s research program involves: Plant Biotech in Rice, Plant Parasitic nematode of Rice, Integrated pest management, Entomopathogenic nematode

Dr. Ugur Cakilcioglu has done his PhD from Firat University, Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biology. He has received The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Encouraging Award for International Scientific Publications. He worked in many international journal in order to follow the international innovations in the field of plants.

I have many studies on systematic botanic, ethnobotany, morphology, anatomy, rare and endemic plants, medicinal plant, antioxidant activities of plants, DPPH and ABTS radical removal activities of plants, plant essential oils, nitrate contents of plants, plant production strategies and the diseases infecting from soil. I work in many international journal in order to follow the international innovations in the field of plants

Kifle G. Gebremedhin is a Professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. He is an elected Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and a member of ASCE, National Frame Building Association, Institute of Biological Engineering, and various honor societies. He is the recipient of numerous awards for teaching, research, advising, service and leadership. Professor Gebremedhin has published over 200-refereed journal articles and research technical publications and has made several invited presentations nationally and internationally.

Professor Gebremedhin's research program involves: Animal thermal-stress physiology, modeling animal bio-energetics (heat and mass transfer), engineering livestock thermal environments, and design and analysis of post-frame buildings, and diaphragm action in metal-clad wood-frame buildings.

More than 30 years experience in the field of Agricultural Engineering and presently Dean, College of Agri. Engg. & Technology, Hisar (India). Completed research projects on watershed management, hydrology, pressurized irrigation and greenhouse technology. Life member of World Association of Soil and Water Conservation, Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers and Fellow, Institution of Engineers (India) and Indian Water Resources Society. Attended International course on ‘Hydrometeorology’ at Israel. Participated in International conference at Belgium and Thailand and chaired a technical session. Served as Head, Dept. of Agricultural Engineering in Eritrea (Africa) and taught as Professor in Libya. Published more than 30 research papers and edited a book on ‘Post Harvest Management and Value Addition’. Received awards in Paper Presentation, Appreciation Certificates; National Fellows and Society Awards. Member of many national committees of Department of Science and Technology and Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Referee and Reviewer of national and International journals.

watershed management, hydrology, pressurized irrigation, greenhouse technology, Soil and Water Conservation Planning

A member of the NC A&T faculty for the past 13 years, Yeboah’s scientific interests began at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in his native Ghana, where he earned an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Science. After working as an Assistant Agricultural Economist in charge of agricultural statistics from 1987 to 1991 in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana, he came to NCA&T to his earn a Master’s Degree in Production Economics in 1993 and a doctorate in Agricultural Economics (Resource Economics/International Agricultural Trade) at University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1998. He served as a postdoctoral research fellow at University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a U.S. EPA funded grant project from 1998 to 2000. In January 2001, he became Visiting Scholar teaching M.S. and PhD. courses in resource economics at Auburn University, Alabama. He was also an adjunct faculty at the Auburn University Environmental Institute. In September2003, Dr. Yeboah returned to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in the department of Agribusiness & Applied Economics as an Assistant Professor in international trade, international marketing, and agribusiness marketing. In April 2004, he became the interim director of the then North Carolina A&T International Trade Center and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2009; Professor in 2014; and Professor and director in 2016. Dr. Yeboah received Gamma Sigma Delta award of Excellence in Research in 2008; and the university’s Senior Excellence in Research Award in 2013. Dr. Yeboah is a recipient of many grants awards from agencies such as USDA and USIAD. Most recently, including evaluation of alternative storage technologies for maize in Ghana; and strengthening the peanut value chain in Ghana, all USDA-FAS funded projects. Dr. Yeboah is a member of the American Agricultural Economics Association.

Dr. Yeboah’s research interests focus on international trade (theory and policy); international agribusiness marketing; agricultural marketing and cooperative development, environmental and natural resource economics and policy; agricultural policy; production economics; small scale agriculture; and others.

Hikmet Budak received his Ph.D. degree with a major in plant breeding and genetics and with a minor in biometry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, in 2002. He worked as a Coordinator, and led grass genetics and breeding program at the same university, then returned to Turkey in 2004. He received the Turkish Young Scientist Award in Turkey and Achievement Award by WORLCOMP06, USA in 2016. Dr. Budak then joined to Montana State University, USA as Montana Plant Sciences Endowed Chair, in 2016. He has published over 120 peer reviewed articles and 10 book chapters. His research interests include molecular mechanisms of a/biotic stress in wheat and barley in addition to computational genome analysis and genomics.

Professor Hikmet Budak's research program involves: Analysis of abiotic (drought and heat) and biotic stress (insects and pathogens) response mechanisms of important genes and manipulation of these genes employing genomics and bioinformatics tools. A better understanding of gene transmission and silencing.

Professor of Plant Science, University of Idaho, 2004 to present. Associate Professor of Plant Science, University of Idaho, 1997 to 2004.Assistant Professor of Plant Science, University of Idaho, 1992 to 1997.Senior Scientist, ESCA genetics Corporation, 1988 to 1992.Higher Scientific Officer, Scottish Crop Research Institute, 1981 to 1988.Scientific Officer, Scottish Plant Breeding Station, 1977 to 1980.

Professor Jack Brown's research program involves: Develop genetically superior Brassica oilseed and condiment mustard (Brassica napus, B. juncea, Sinapisalba, and others) cultivars suitable for a wide range of environments throughout the Idaho, the PacificNorthwest, and other regions in the USA. Investigate breeding methodologies and inheritance ofimportant traits in developing new and improved Brassica crop species. Examine and develop procedures to increase breeding efficiency in developing superior Brassica oilseed and condiment cultivars. Develop oilseed Brassica cultivars that would be suitable for industrial processing, including high quality biodiesel and bio-jet fuel. Broaden genetic base and introgress insect and disease resistance and other desirable traits into Brassica crops using interspecific and intraspecific hybridization. Develop genotypes of yellow mustard (S. alba) modified fatty acid oil content, improved oil content, and with low glucosinolate content in residual seed meal. Develop interspecific and intraspecific hybrid genotypes with designer glucosinolate content and quality suitable as an alternative to highly toxic synthetic soil fumigants.

Benjamin Gray was born and raised in Greensboro, NC USA. As a child, he grew up on a small family farm being exposed to many of the processes that take place in agriculture, but at a small scale. His father was a Dean at a local college which left many of the day to day responsibilities of running our small operation up to me. By doing so, I developed a strong work ethic and a passion for the land and local community environment. I had to learn how to fix and repair our machinery whenever we would have breakdowns. I was not necessarily that mechanically inclined, but my father was a certified mechanical engineer which he taught me a lot of the basics that I still apply today. After completing high school, I attended both North Carolina A/T State University and received my undergraduate degree in Agriculture business. I then transferred to NC State University in Raleigh, NC and entered into the Rural Sociology program where I developed a strong fondness of the for the community and people who make up the community. I graduated in 1994 with a MS degree in Sociology and in 2000, with a degree in Rural Sociology. Since that time, I have taught at NC A&T College of Agriculture all of the rural sociology-related courses, along with the research methodology courses both, at the undergraduate and graduate level. I have been affiliated in academia for over 28 years. Currently serve as professor of rural sociology for undergraduate and graduate students at North Carolina A&T State University

Professor Benjamin Gray 's research program involves: social organization of agriculture (graduate class on campus and online), principles of rural sociology, sociology of development, economic geography, agricultural economics, agri-business management