The College of Agriculture at Tennessee State University (TSU) partnering with Alabama A&M University, Southern University, Florida A&M University, and Langston University to host The 1 890 Center of Excellence for Land, Water and Resource Management (COE-LWRM). The COE-LWRM will be housed in the Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (IAGER) at Tennessee State University.

The COE-LWRM’s primary goals and thrust areas are, 1) Natural Resource Management, Conservation and Forest Health, 2) Precision Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence (AI), 3) Ecosystem Health and Water Quality, and 4) Workforce Training and Development.

These four multi-disciplinary thurst areas  will coordinate and unify participants via scholarly research, teaching , and Extension activities, and provide collaborative opportunities among 1890 institutions to tackle contemporary environmental issues that impact terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We will take a One Health approach to evaluate the collective impacts of environmental change, land-use patterns , and water resource availability on ecosystem  integrity .

The 1890 Center of Excellence in Land, Water and Resources management (COE-LWRM) at Tennessee State University is partnered with following Institutions.

• Alabama A&M University
• Florida A&M University
• Fort Valley State University
• Langston University 
• Lincoln University
• Prairie View A&M University
• Southern University
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore
  
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COE-LWRM News

7/10/2026

Conclusion of the 2026 RANGE Summer Research Program

The Tennessee State University College of Agriculture, through the USDA-NIFA Center of Excellence for Land, Water, and Resource Management (COE-LWRM), successfully concluded the 2026 Research and Applied Natural Resource Growth Experience (RANGE), a four-week residential summer research program designed for rising high school juniors and seniors.

Twenty-five students from across Tennessee participated in immersive, faculty-mentored research experiences spanning agriculture, environmental science, forestry, animal science, soil science, plant genetics, precision agriculture, artificial intelligence, water resources, and natural resource management. Working alongside faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, participants gained firsthand experience in laboratory research, field investigations, data collection, scientific communication, and problem-solving.

In addition to research, students participated in professional development workshops, leadership activities, college readiness sessions, field trips, and interactions with scientists and industry professionals. The program concluded with a research symposium where students presented their projects to faculty, mentors, family members, and invited guests.

RANGE continues to serve as an important workforce development and student recruitment initiative, inspiring the next generation of scientists, agricultural professionals, and natural resource leaders while introducing students to opportunities at Tennessee State University and the College of Agriculture.

The College of Agriculture extends its sincere appreciation to the faculty mentors, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, staff, chaperones, and families whose commitment made the 2026 RANGE program a success.

6/20/2026

Excited to welcome the 2026 cohort of the Research and Applied Natural Resource Growth Experience (RANGE) at Tennessee State University!

Over the next four weeks, approximately 25 talented high school students from across the region will live on campus and work alongside faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in hands-on research experiences. Participants will explore topics including soil health, water quality, ecosystem resilience, forest and wetland management, precision agriculture, drones, sensors, in agriculture, and other emerging technologies shaping the future of natural resource management.

RANGE is more than a summer research program it is an investment in the next generation of scientists, researchers, agricultural professionals, and community leaders. We are grateful to our faculty mentors, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, staff, and families for helping make this opportunity possible.

We look forward to a summer of discovery, learning, mentorship, and growth.

5/15/2026

Congratulations to the COE-LWRM faculty participants selected for the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) 2026 Overseas Faculty Development Seminar in India.

Representing Tennessee State University are Dr. Sougata Bardhan, Dr. Felix Ogunmokun, and Dr. Bharat Pokharel. Partner institution faculty participants include Dr. Kamal Ghosh from Langston University, Dr. Tumen Wuliji from Lincoln University, Dr. Lucy Ngatia from Florida A&M University, and Dr. Wong Yang from Alabama A&M University.

The fully funded seminar, “India: Traditions and Innovations in Agriculture and Forestry,” is organized by CAORC and the Center of Excellence for Land, Water, and Resource Management (COE-LWRM) in partnership with the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS).

Participants will engage in site visits and collaborative exchanges with university faculty and NGO researchers across Delhi, Dehradun, Chennai, and Agra, exploring topics including agriculture, forestry, water quality, natural resource management, precision agriculture, and artificial intelligence.

We are proud to see COE-LWRM faculty representing their institutions on a global stage while advancing teaching, research, collaboration, and international learning opportunities across the 1890 system.

4/22/2026

College of Agriculture Successfully Launches CEA Workshop Series with Blueberry Transplanting and Deans' Keynotes
The College of Agriculture is proud to announce the resounding success of its inaugural Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) hands-on workshop, held concurrently with the university's Earth Day celebration. The well-attended event provided participants (27) with practical, science-based skills in urban food production.

Demonstrating the university’s commitment to innovative, sustainable agriculture, Dean Dr. Chandra Reddy and Associate Dean Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel were present to officially launch the workshop series. Their keynote remarks highlighted the critical role that technologies like CEA play in food security and environmental stewardship, key themes for Earth Day.

Under expert guidance, workshop participants engaged in hands-on learning, mastering pruning techniques and diagnosing plant health before transplanting blueberry plants into raised beds filled with specialized soilless media, including sphagnum peat moss. This experiential learning opportunity gave students and research associates practical tools for creating efficient, productive backyard edible landscapes.
This successful kickstart is the first of several planned workshops designed to empower the community with innovative horticultural techniques.
For additional information on the CEA workshop series, please contact Dr. Dharma Pitchay at dpitchay@tnstate.edu .


4/8/2026

Congratulations to Dorcas Tolulope Kayode —Royaldamsel mentored by Dr. Felix Ogunmokun ( hashtag #SPHERELAB ) for winning the 2026 Grant A. Harris Research Award from METER Group.

​Her research on Decoupling Matrix Repellency from Macropore Flow in Forest Soils is pushing boundaries here at the Tennessee State University, TSU College of Agriculture. This work is supported through the COE-LWRM grant, advancing research in soil and water processes within natural resource systems.

4/1/2026

The COE-LWRM at Tennessee State University hosted a special session at the 2026 ARD Biennial Research Symposium in New Orleans on 31st March 2026, highlighting collaborative research across the 1890 land-grant network. The session featured 26 oral and 18 poster presentations from faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students, showcasing advancements in natural resource management, forest health, precision agriculture and AI, ecosystem health, water quality, and workforce development.

Kaya Mitchell from Tennessee State University, mentored by Dr. Tom Byl, earned third place in the Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment category for the undergraduate oral presentation competition. At the same time, our colleague from Langston University celebrated exceptional success with students advised by Dr. Kamal Gosh, where Tremar Ivey received first place and Jasmine Price earned second place in undergraduate oral presentations. 

Announcements

Summer Internship Opportunities – COE-LWRM (2026) - Closed

Our Goals

1. Natural Resources Management, Conservation and improve Forest Health

2. Precision Agriculture and use of AI, robotics, ML and sensors in Regenrative Agriculture to increase Farm Profitability

3. Ecosystem Health and Water Quality Improvement through Regenerative Practices

4. Workforce Training and Development in Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Natural Resources Management, Conservation and Forest Health

Coordinators/Thurst Area Leaders – 

• Dr. Bharat Pokharel: Predictive Mapping of Plant Species as an Indicator of Forest Ecosystem Health
• Dr. William Sutton, Dr. Yong Wang (AAMU), and Dr. Xiongwen Chen (AAMU): Forest and Wildlife Responses to Forest Management and Forest Structure and Vegetation Dynamics
• Dr. Lucy Ngatia: Forest management impacts on carbon and nutrient turnover rates in hurricane-affected ecosystems under evolving environmental conditions
• Dr. Yong Wang (AAMU), and Dr. Xiongwen Chen (AAMU): Estimation and modeling of forest carbon storage dynamics disturbed with prescribed and forest thinning
• Dr. Sarah Neumann: Forest Ecology and plant-soil feedbacks as a mechanism for shaping community composition, structure and productivity of temperate and tropical forests
• Dr. Sougatha Bardhan: Agroforestry and Forest resources, Soil Health 
• Dr. Jonatha R Crummings (UMES), and Dr. Xuefeng Li (UMES) : Belowground nutrient dynamics and root turnover in forest ecosystems
• Dr. Zhu Ning (Southern University): Impact of Urban Forests for Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Precision Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Coordinators/Thurst Area Leader: Dr. Chandra Reddy

Canola: Lead Scientist - Dr. Jason de Koff

Sweet Sorghum: Lead Scientist - Dr. Ahmad Aziz

Switch Grass: Lead Scientists - Dr. Dafeng Hui

Precision Agriculture: Lead Scientist - Dr. Clement Akumu

Crop Nutrition: Lead Scientist - Dr. Dharma Pitchay

Crop Adaptation: Lead Scientist - Dr. Mathew Blair

Livestock Adaptation: Lead Scientist - Dr. Richard Browning

Precision and autonomous agricultural machinery, AI, ML - Dr. Chenchen Kang

Aquaculture Adaptation: Lead Scientist - Dr. Kamal Gosh (Langston)

Small Ruminant Genomics and AI - Dr. Zaira Estrada Reyes (PVAMU)

Forages/Small Ruminant Parasite Control and AI/ML- Lead Scientists - Dr. Thomas Terril (FVSU) and Dr. Aftab Siddique (FVSU)

Ecosystem Health and Water Quality

Coordinators/Thurst Area Leader: Dr. De’Etra Young 

Soil Organic Matter, Soil Health, Carbon Sequestration and Soil Science- Lead Scientists - Dr. Jianwei Li, and Dr. Resham Thapa

Soil Physics, Hydro Geo-Physics, Soil Water Dynamics in Agriculture systems - Lead Scientist - Dr. Felix Ogunmokun

Prediction, early reporting, and impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms - Lead Scientist - Dr. Tom Byl

Environmental Change and its Impacts to Water Quality and Quantity - Lead Scientist - Dr. Yaw Twumasi (Southern University)

Geospatial Analysis and Bioremediation: Lead Scientist - Dr. Reginald Archer

Soil Contamination: Lead Scientist - Dr. Sudipta Rakshit