Chenchen Kang

Chenchen Kang serves as Assistant Professor of Precision Agriculture in Tennessee State University's College of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Science and Engineering, based at the Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, TN. His work integrates cutting-edge technology with agricultural engineering to solve field-level production challenges.

Education:

• Postdoctoral Scholar, The Pennsylvania State University (2023-2025)
• Ph.D., Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Washington State University (2018-2023)
• M.S., Agricultural Mechanization Engineering, China Agricultural University (2016-2018)
• B.S., Agricultural Engineering (Outstanding Graduate), China Agricultural University (2012-2016)

Dr. Kang's research pioneers autonomous agricultural machinery and AI-driven field solutions, with core expertise in computer vision for crop monitoring, precision irrigation systems, and robotic harvesting. His work bridges electrohydraulic control systems and data science to optimize resource use in specialty crops, particularly viticulture and vegetable production. Key innovations include hyperspectral imaging for water stress detection and low-cost sensor networks for orchard management.

Analysis of his 9 publications (2022-2025) reveals dominant trends in sensor fusion (hyperspectral/thermal/3D imaging) for real-time vineyard monitoring, robotic thinning/spraying systems, and IoT-based decision support. The research consistently targets practical implementation in controlled environments and open-field agriculture, with strong emphasis on cost-effective solutions for small-scale growers.

Dr. Kang actively secures external funding as Co-PI on State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania projects ($20,964 total) for orchard sensor systems. He has contributed to USDA proposals including AgShred robotic harvesting ($601,250) and precision crop load management. His research infrastructure leverages the Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center for field validation of agricultural robotics and sensor technologies.