Hemendra Kumar

Dr. Hemendra Kumar is an Assistant Professor and Precision Agriculture Specialist at the University of Maryland's Department of Environmental Science and Technology, affiliated with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. His expertise spans precision agriculture, smart irrigation management, hydrology, and machine learning applications in agriculture. Dr. Kumar holds a Ph.D. in Biosystems Engineering from Auburn University with a minor in Statistics, along with advanced degrees in Civil Engineering, Hydrology, and Agricultural Engineering from prestigious institutions like IIT Roorkee and Punjab Agricultural University.

His research focuses on developing water-smart irrigation solutions using machine learning and physical models (e.g., HYDRUS and SWAT) to address spatial variability in soil properties and crop water needs. Notable methodologies include optimizing irrigation thresholds based on field capacity and variable rate irrigation systems for water scarcity resilience. He leads the Precision Agriculture Lab (PAL), which explores interdisciplinary solutions for sustainable farming practices.

Dr. Kumar has published extensively on precision irrigation, climate-smart agriculture, and hydrological modeling. His work bridges academia and industry, with practical applications like maintaining irrigation uniformity, ENSO-based water management, and integrating drones/AI into farming. He has advised multiple students and collaborates with USDA, Alabama Extension, and international institutions.

His lab focuses on advancing digital agriculture technologies, including sensor networks, predictive models, and farmer-centric tools to enhance agricultural productivity while conserving resources. Current opportunities exist for students, scholars, and volunteers to join his team in shaping the future of precision agriculture.