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Michael StrauchView profile

Researcher

• Integrated Watershed Modeling
• Multi-Objective Land Use Optimization
• Ecosystem Services Assessment
• +2 more

Dr. Michael Strauch is a researcher at the Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany. He specializes in integrated process-based watershed modeling and multi-objective optimization of land-use allocation, focusing on the impacts of land use intensity, landscape composition, and configuration on water-related ecosystem services, agricultural production, and biodiversity. His work involves coupling simulation models with heuristic search algorithms using the generic model integration tool CoMOLA and advancing the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) . Key Research Areas: Trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services Stakeholder-driven land use strategies Climate change adaptation in water resources SWAT+/CoMOLA tool development Recent publications highlight his contributions to optimizing agri-environmental practices (2025), addressing soil data gaps in European catchments (2024), and modeling climate-deforestation impacts in Amazonia (2025). His work spans projects like BiodivERsA TALE and OPTAIN , with a focus on multifunctional agricultural landscapes.

Hazel ParryView profile

Researcher

• Insect pest management
• Climate change
• Biosecurity
• +7 more

Dr Hazel Parry is a Senior Research Scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), with a focus on environmental drivers of pest and disease outbreaks. Her work integrates ecological and economic dimensions to advance Area-wide Integrated Pest Management (AW-IPM) and Digital IPM through spatiotemporal and simulation models. Education: PhD in Geography (Ecological Modelling), University of Leeds (2006) BA (Hons) in Geography, University of Cambridge (2002) Research Themes: Movement ecology of pests and beneficial species (e.g., Lepidoptera, fruit bats, fruit flies) AW-IPM in dynamic socio-agroecological systems Best practices in spatiotemporal and MLAI-based pest population forecasting Her work bridges multi-agent simulation , GIS , and ecological modelling to address food security and biosecurity challenges. Current Projects: Pest READI (Hort Frontiers funded, project leader) Canola Allies (GRDC funded, collaboration with Universities of Adelaide and Murdoch) Area-wide management of Queensland Fruit-fly (Rural R&D for Profit funded, project leader) Improved Management of Rutherglen bug (GRDC funded, project leader) Collaborations: University of Queensland, University of Wisconsin, Macquarie University, Queensland University of Technology, INRAE (France), Jagun Alliance Aboriginal Corporation, and industry bodies like GrowCom. Supervision: Co-supervised PhD student Jaye Newman (Graduated 2023, QUT) and currently supervises postdoctoral researchers in projects like Precision Pollination (ARC Linkage) and Winanga-y Fellowship .

• Soil Science
• Microbial Ecology
• Conservation Farming
• +4 more

Christoph Rosinger is a researcher at the Institute of Agronomy (iPBAU) within the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). His work focuses on soil microbiology, conservation farming, and carbon-nutrient dynamics in agricultural and forest soils. Research Themes: Soil organic carbon stabilization, microbial community responses to amendments, and agricultural pollution mitigation using struvite/zeolites Methodologies: On-farm studies, multi-model simulations, and biogeochemical stoichiometry analysis Publication Trends emphasize microbial pathways in carbon sequestration, amendment effects on nutrient cycling, and seasonal soil processes. Recent work explores AI vs. process-based modeling for SOC prediction and volcanic ash pedogenesis. Earlier studies address subtropical soil nutrient limitations and post-disturbance fungal dynamics.

Daniel CohanView profile

Professor

• Photochemical modeling
• Atmospheric sensitivity analysis
• Air quality management
• +4 more

Dr. Daniel Cohan is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University. He leads the Cohan Research Group, focusing on air quality modeling, energy systems, and climate policy. His work integrates atmospheric chemistry with policy analysis to address challenges like ozone pollution, renewable energy transitions, and agricultural emissions. Dr. Cohan earned a B.A. in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from Georgia Tech. Research interests include photochemical modeling, climate change mitigation, and the health impacts of pollutants. He has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and the book Confronting Climate Gridlock , which explores policy solutions for clean energy. Dr. Cohan serves on the U.S. EPA’s Board of Scientific Counselors and has received the NSF CAREER Award. Recent publications highlight wind-solar energy potential in Texas, health impacts of gas flaring, and soil nitrogen emissions modeling. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges, combining engineering, economics, and policy.

Hugh J. EarlView profile

Associate Professor

• Crop Physiology
• Abiotic Stress Tolerance
• Yield Determination
• +3 more

Hugh J. Earl serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Plant Agriculture within the College of Biological Science at the University of Guelph. His research program focuses on the physiological basis of yield determination in major Canadian agronomic crops including soybean, corn, and canola, with emphasis on abiotic stress tolerance and canopy-level analysis. Dr. Earl holds a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. from the University of Guelph. His research investigates physiological traits that enhance tolerance to drought, chilling, and heat stress, with particular attention to whole-crop canopy dynamics rather than individual plant characteristics. Current projects examine respiratory carbon losses in maize, boron application effects in canola, manure vs. inorganic fertilization, seeding rate impacts on drought resilience, and physiological traits underlying chilling tolerance in maize. His recent publications (2018-2004) demonstrate consistent focus on crop physiology, with 15 key articles spanning maize respiration dynamics, canola nutrient responses, soybean water use efficiency, and cotton stress interactions. Keyword analysis reveals predominant themes in Crop Science (67%), Plant Physiology (87%), and Stress Biology (60%), with subfield specialization in respiratory carbon loss, nutrient application effects, and stomatal conductance mechanisms. Dr. Earl actively supervises graduate students including Javier DiMatteo (maize respiration), Laxhman Ramsahoi (canola boron response), Meagan Griffiths (canola seeding rates), Bridget Visser (soybean water use efficiency), Wisam Obeidat (maize chilling tolerance), and Luis Avila Bolivar (maize gene expression). Field technicians Godfrey Chu and Laxhman Ramsahoi contribute to Swede midge infestation research. Based in Crop Science Building Room 314, his laboratory employs canopy reflectance spectroscopy for nutrient deficiency detection and develops precise gravimetric methods for drought simulation. His work bridges fundamental physiological understanding with practical agronomic recommendations, particularly regarding stress-tolerant crop varieties and optimized nutrient management practices.

Prem OliView profile

Assistant Professor

• Agroecosystems Modeling
• Forage-Animal Systems
• Sustainable Cropping
• +2 more

Prem Oli is an Assistant Professor specializing in Forages-Data Science at Texas A&M University's College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from University of Florida and an M.S. in Crop Science from Wageningen University. His research focuses on agroecosystems modeling at the forage-animal interface and sustainable cropping systems. At the AgriLife Research Center at Overton, his team develops predictive models using the BeefSys database containing 45+ years of soil-plant-animal data. Key innovations include daily nutritive value models for bermudagrass, cattle gain models, and modified equations for digestible nutrients. Dr. Oli integrates animal growth models with crop growth models (particularly DSSAT) for systems such as bermudagrass, forage wheat, and cowpea. His Climate-Smart approach aims to enhance agroecosystem resilience while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Current projects include developing decision aids for cattle producers and exploring cowpea-wheat double-cropping strategies in semi-arid regions.

Kaisa VästiläView profile

Academic

• Environmental Hydraulics
• Sediment Transport
• Nature-Based Solutions
• +3 more

Kaisa Västilä is a part-time Postdoctoral Researcher at Aalto University and Senior Researcher at the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) . Her work focuses on environmental hydraulics , particularly the interactions between flow, vegetation, and sediment/nutrient transport in rivers, streams, and agricultural systems. Her research explores how nature-based solutions like two-stage channels and riparian vegetation can improve water management, emphasizing Hydrodynamic modeling of vegetated flows Experimental analysis of sediment retention Policy recommendations for sustainable drainage She collaborates internationally with institutions such as Korea Institute of Civil Engineering, University of Sheffield, Deltares, and Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and nationally with University of Helsinki and Syke. Her 15 most recent publications (2020–2025) span topics in hydrology, ecohydraulics, and agricultural water systems , with a focus on Flexible vegetation flow resistance Two-stage channel biodiversity impacts Phosphorus/nutrient retention Turbulent mixing in vegetated flows Her scientific work is published in journals like Journal of Hydrology , Scientific Reports , and Water Resources Research . She actively participates in international projects and field experiments, serving as an advisor for doctoral students and contributing to Aalto University's WAT courses. Her affiliations include Aalto University (Department of Built Environment, School of Engineering) and the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke).

• Plant Biology
• Photosynthesis
• Crop Modeling
• +5 more

Megan Matthews is an Assistant Professor in the School of Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she conducts research at the intersection of plant biology and computational modeling to address agricultural challenges under climate change. Her research focuses on enhancing photosynthetic efficiency, engineering plant-microbe symbioses, and optimizing crop growth through multiscale modeling approaches. Key interests include thermal tolerance in photosynthesis, metabolic modeling of nitrogen fixation, lignin biosynthesis for bioenergy, and predictive decision support systems for sustainable agriculture. She employs genome-scale modeling, CRISPR editing, and multi-omics integration to develop climate-resilient crops. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on systems-level perspectives for improving crop yields, with significant contributions to photosynthetic engineering, symbiotic relationships in legumes, and biomass optimization on marginal lands. Her work consistently bridges computational biology and practical agricultural applications to enhance food security and sustainability.

Daniel MüllerView profile

Professor

• Land use
• Sustainability
• Agricultural production
• +2 more

Prof. Dr. Daniel Müller is a leading academic at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in the Global South (IAMO) and serves as Deputy Head of the Department for Structural Development of Farms and Rural Areas. His research focuses on land-system change , sustainability , agricultural production , and climate change impacts, with fieldwork spanning Central and Eastern Europe , former Soviet Union , Southeast Asia , and Western China . He combines resource economics and natural sciences using multi-scalar empirical methods. Key research areas: Land use Sustainability Agricultural production Climate change Ecosystem services Recent publications reveal trends in agricultural land ownership , cropland abandonment , and snow hydrology in Central Asia. His work addresses agricultural resilience in conflict zones (e.g., Ukraine) and employs Bayesian networks and remote sensing for land-use analysis. He leads international research groups including the Land Systems Group , International China Research Group , and Central Asia Research Group , with collaborations on platforms like ResearchGate , ORCID , and Google Scholar .

Adam T. NaitoView profile

Assistant Professor

• Physical Geography
• Landscape Ecology
• GIS and Remote Sensing
• +5 more

Dr. Adam T. Naito serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences at Northern Michigan University, where he began teaching in 2020. His work integrates field methods, GIS, remote sensing, and simulation modeling to study landscape-scale vegetation changes across diverse environments including Arctic Alaska, southwestern rangelands, Appalachian forests, and the North Woods. His research interests focus on physical geography, landscape ecology, and GIS applications , with specific expertise in shrub expansion dynamics, fire ecology, and ecosystem services. Key projects examine industrial hemp biomass using lidar, hemi-boreal forest composition, rangeland services in the southwestern U.S., fire impacts on eastern forests, and Arctic vegetation change. His approach combines terrestrial laser scanning with field validation to quantify carbon storage and landscape processes. Dr. Naito's recent publications reveal strong trends in applied remote sensing for ecosystem management , particularly using lidar to assess biomass and restoration potential. His work bridges fundamental landscape ecology with practical resource management challenges, especially regarding vegetation transitions in changing climates. The research spans Arctic tundra, desert grasslands, and temperate forests, demonstrating methodological consistency across biomes. NMU Faculty Emerging Leadership Award (2024-2025) NMU Excellence in Teaching Award (2023-2024) U.S. Senator Phil Gramm Doctoral Fellowship (2014) Multiple student awards including Outstanding Graduating Senior (2024) As an advisor, he has mentored approximately 110 students, many now working in environmental science fields or pursuing advanced degrees. His grant portfolio includes the $64,703 Northern Woodshed Project examining forest composition and carbon storage. Professional service includes Secretary-Treasurer of ESA's Early Career Ecologists Section and active roles in AAG, AGU, and fire ecology networks. Current leadership roles involve NMU's Academic Senate and General Education Assessment initiatives.

Vanaja KankarlaView profile

Assistant Professor

• Soil Science
• Environmental Science
• Agriculture Science
• +7 more

Dr. Vanaja Kankarla is an Assistant Professor of Soil Science in the Department of Marine & Earth Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Fort Myers, Florida. She holds a PhD in Plant and Environmental Science from New Mexico State University (2019), an MS in Plant and Soil Sciences from Tennessee State University (2013), and a BSc in Agriculture from Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, India. Her research integrates agronomy, soil science, and crop-weed nutrient management to address agricultural and environmental challenges, emphasizing decision support tools for sustainable practices. Education: PhD: New Mexico State University (Plant and Environmental Science, 2019) MS: Tennessee State University (Plant and Soil Sciences, 2013) BSc: Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University (India, 2009) Research Interests: Soil salinity management Crop-weed competition dynamics Precision agriculture tools Soil fertility and nutrient cycling Dr. Kankarla’s work has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the 2022 Postdoctoral Research Award (Texas A&M University) and the 2018 Women Economic Forum’s ‘Young Innovators’ award. She actively contributes to academic governance as a Review Editor for Agrosystems, Geosciences, and Environment and Associate Editor of the Journal of Environmental Quality . Her teaching focuses on introductory courses in soil science, environmental science, and precision agriculture. Awards: 2022 Postdoctoral Research Award (Texas A&M) 2019 Dean’s Award of Excellence (NMSU) 2018 ‘Young Innovators’ Award (WEF) Grants & Leadership: Travel grants from AGU (2014) Editorial roles in major agronomy journals Committee member, ASA societies Her research portfolio spans over 20 peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, addressing topics like microplastic impacts, PFAS contamination, and saline irrigation strategies. Dr. Kankarla advocates for women in STEM and mentors students passionate about agricultural innovation.

• Parasitic Weed Ecology
• Crop Diversification
• Weed Management Strategies
• +3 more

Lammert Bastiaans is an Associate Professor in Crop and Weed Ecology at Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands. His primary focus lies in understanding parasitic weed ecology, crop diversification strategies, and sustainable weed management in agricultural systems. He has contributed to over 200 research outputs, including studies on parasitic weeds like Striga and Rhamphicarpa in African rice systems, intercropping designs for weed suppression, and microbial community responses to weed management practices. His research emphasizes crop-weed interactions, spatial-temporal crop diversification, and functional-structural plant modeling to optimize agroecosystems. Notable projects include the PARASITE initiative addressing parasitic weeds in sub-Saharan Africa and studies on intercropping systems' weed suppression mechanisms. Dr. Bastiaans has co-supervised 19 PhD candidates, including projects on spatial crop diversification, weed suppression in intercrops, and parasitic weed management in Malawi. His work bridges theoretical models with practical applications, aiming to enhance food security and sustainable farming practices globally. Key research themes include: Parasitic weed biology and control strategies Agroecological weed management Intercropping and crop rotation systems Functional plant modeling Smallholder farming systems in Africa

• Smart Farming
• Explainable Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Agriculture
• +7 more

Thomas Neubauer is a PostDoc Researcher at the Department of Information Systems Engineering, Technische Universität Wien. His research focuses on Smart Farming, Explainable AI, and Digital Agriculture with applications in precision livestock farming and sustainable agricultural systems. He leads projects on Precision Livestock Farming (PLFDoc), Legume-cereal intercropping, and Agricultural Photovoltaics integration (PlusIQ). Key projects include: Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety & Innovation (2025–2028) Austrian Science Fund (FWF)-funded work on legume-cereal intercropping (2023–2027) EU-funded ICT4DecisionMaking in Farming (2017–2021) His research spans Digital Twin development for agriculture, machine learning in crop rotation planning, and data security solutions for e-Health. He has supervised over a dozen PhD and Master’s students since 2007. Notable publications include work on reinforcement learning for crop optimization and digital twin frameworks in smart farming.

Wei RenView profile

Associate Professor

• Ecosystem Ecology
• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Remote Sensing/GIS
• +4 more

Wei Ren is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment at the University of Connecticut. Previously, he held positions as Associate Professor (2021-2022) and Assistant Professor (2015-2021) at the Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky. His research focuses on Earth system interactions, integrating field observations, remote sensing, and numerical models to address climate-smart agriculture, carbon cycling, and sustainable resource management. PhD in Ecosystem Ecology (2009) - Auburn University MS in Meteorology (2003) - Nanjing Institute of Meteorology BS in Agrometeorology (2000) - Nanjing Institute of Meteorology Dr. Ren's research examines: Climate-smart agricultural practices and their multi-scale effectiveness Big-data synthesis for natural resource management Climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies Soil carbon dynamics under changing land use and management Remote sensing integration with ecological models Greenhouse gas emissions from managed ecosystems Recent article trends show: 12/15 focus on carbon and nitrogen cycling in agroecosystems 9/15 analyze climate-smart agricultural interventions 8/15 incorporate remote sensing data assimilation 6/15 address water resource efficiency in cropping systems 4/15 involve cross-border environmental impacts 3/15 examine power grid-environment interlinkages

Roland BaatzView profile

Researcher

• Landscape Modelling
• Data Assimilation
• Soil Moisture Monitoring
• +2 more

Roland Baatz is a Researcher at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) within the Simulation and Data Science research area. His work focuses on landscape modelling with emphasis on model-data fusion and data assimilation techniques for agro-ecosystem models. Specializes in soil-vegetation-atmosphere continuum processes Develops methodologies for cosmic ray neutron soil moisture sensing Active in climate change impact assessment on agricultural systems Research Trends identified from recent publications include: Advancements in cosmic ray neutron sensor applications for soil moisture monitoring Integration of remote sensing data with crop models for regional-scale agricultural assessments Analysis of drought impacts on ecosystem water-use efficiency Development of data assimilation frameworks for land surface models His work demonstrates strong technical expertise in environmental data analysis , model calibration , and cross-disciplinary collaboration through projects like the COSMOS-Europe soil moisture sensor network and WASCAL observatory in West Africa.