Narendra Das

Dr. Narendra N. Das is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University with joint appointments in the Departments of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering. He leads the Remote Sensing for Agriculture and Hydrology Lab (RSHAL), collaborating with NASA missions such as SMAP and NISAR to develop soil moisture data products and drought monitoring systems. His work focuses on hydrology, microwave remote sensing, and crop modeling with applications in East Africa and the Lower Mekong Basin.

Education: PhD in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&M University; MS in Biological and Agricultural Engineering (Texas A&M); B.E. in Chemical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Raipur.

Research Interests: Satellite remote sensing for agriculture, soil moisture dynamics, drought prediction, climate change adaptation, and low-cost sensor development for farmers. His lab integrates NASA satellite data with ground observations to enhance agricultural resilience and water resource management.

Key Projects: Principal Investigator for NASA SERVIR’s Drought and Crop Forecast System in East Africa and the Lower Mekong Basin, PI for the NASA Terrestrial Hydrology Program, and Science Team Member for SMAP and NISAR missions.

• Awards: MSU 2022 MTRAC Award, JPL Voyager Award 2020, NASA Achievement Award 2019, and multiple JPL/NASA team awards.
• Grants & PI Roles: Leads NASA-funded projects on soil moisture, drought monitoring, and crop yield forecasting.

Labs/Teams: RSHAL lab focuses on developing satellite-based solutions for agricultural challenges. Collaborations include NASA JPL, SERVIR, and international partners in Africa and Southeast Asia.