Prasad joined the DART group as a Postdoctoral Fellow in February 2025. His research interests span agro-hydrology and hydro-meteorology. During his PhD in Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, he developed real-time fog prediction methods using uncertainty-aware Bayesian Neural Networks (https://fog.iitk.ac.in). Prasad is passionate about leveraging advancements in data science to tackle critical challenges in environmental modeling, with focus on remote sensing and citizen-science methods. His cocurricular activities include volunteering for scientific events and attending guest lectures.

Atin is a Postdoctoral researcher working at the intersection of precision agriculture, remote sensing, agro-hydrology, and environmental data science. His research focuses on understanding spatial and temporal variability in agricultural systems, with particular emphasis on soil moisture dynamics, crop nitrogen status, and yield prediction. His current research involves integrating wireless soil moisture sensing networks, neutron probe observations, UAV and satellite imagery, soil properties, weather and irrigation data, and crop measurements to characterize field-scale variability in maize and wheat production systems.

Dr. Araya Berhe is a research associate agronomist with over 10 years of experience in cropping systems research, crop simulation modeling, irrigation water management and climate-smart agriculture. His work focuses on improving nutrient and water management, optimizing cropping systems, and enhancing soil health and climate adaptation using evidence-based approaches. At Kansas State University, he integrates field experiments with crop simulation models, along with geospatial analysis, soil and climate data, to evaluate management strategies and support data-driven agricultural decision-making. Dr. Berhe has published several peer-reviewed articles and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to advance sustainable and resilient agricultural systems.

Kiran joined the DART group as visited scholar from Professor Jayashankar Telangana
Agricultural University, Hyderabad, India specializing in precision agriculture and digital
crop protection. His research interests span uncrewed aerial systems (UAVs) based
plant protection, AI/ML-driven detection and monitoring of crop pests and diseases. He
is a DGCA-certified Master Trainer for Remote Pilot Training in small & medium class and
specializes in UAV operation protocols and aerial pesticide application techniques. His
innovative research includes UAV-based pesticide and granular application, drone
seeding in wet-direct rice, supplementary pollination in hybrid rice, and Drone-as-aService (DAAS) models for sustainable UAV based agri-entrepreneurship. Outside his
academia, he enjoys piloting UAVs, watching movies and providing digital advisory
services to farmers.
Outside of research, I enjoy reading, listening to music, cooking, staying physically active, and spending time with friends.

Sourajit Dey, is originally from West Bengal, India, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Kansas State University as a Graduate Research Assistant. With a focus on forage agronomy, he aims to enhance drought resilience in alfalfa, and his project is funded by USDA to monitor impacts of drought on forage production in Southern Great Plains. Dey holds a M.S. degree from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, India. He excels in statistical programming and is enthusiastic about exploring coding for agriculture datasets. Beyond academia, he enjoys travel, music, and guitar, embracing exploration and creativity.

Nishadini is originally from Sri Lanka and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Technology and Management in 2019, followed by a Master’s degree in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in 2022, both from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Additionally, she completed her second Master’s degree in Agronomy at K-State in December 2023. She is excited to work as a PhD student with Dr. Gaurav Jha on the soil microbial innovations project funded by National Science Foundation (https://www.k-state.edu/micra/). In her free time, she enjoys traveling to appreciate nature, as well as indulging in her passion for cooking and baking.

Udit Debangshi is a PhD student in Agronomy at Kansas State University. His research focuses on remote sensing, using thermal and multispectral data, to study irrigation water management. He earned a B.S. in Agriculture from Visva-Bharati University in India. He then completed an M.S. at Kansas State University, with a focus on precision irrigation management. His work centers on water, crops, and soil. He has authored and co-authored scientific papers on precision irrigation technologies. He draws inspiration from Rabindranath Tagore, particularly Tagore’s ideas on education. One line guides his approach to his work: “The roots below the earth claim no rewards for making the branches fruitful.”

Deepak Khatri is a PhD student in the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University. His research centers on agronomic management practices for optimal crop production, with a major focus on nutrient and water management, and he also works with aerial imagery to support field-scale decision making. He earned his MS from Kentucky State University in 2025, where his research on soybean protein management was supported by a USDA NIFA-funded project. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) in Nepal.

Outside of academia, Deepak enjoys traveling, gaming, and spending time outdoors in nature.

Victor Ruiz is a Visiting Scholar at Kansas State University, joining the Digital Agronomy Research Team (DART) for a year-long research residency. He is currently pursuing his degree in Agricultural Engineering at UNICAMP (University of Campinas) in Brazil. With a technical background in Mechatronics, Victor brings a unique skill set to the lab, including proficiency in Python programming and embedded systems (tecnologias embarcadas).

He is passionate about the intersection of technology and the field, specifically focusing on agricultural automation to improve efficiency and sustainability. Victor is a collaborative team player who values lifelong learning and technical precision. Outside of the lab, he is an active individual who enjoys working out, traveling, and playing pickleball. He is also an avid gamer and enjoys the strategy and community of the gaming world.

Daniéle Papalia is an undergraduate student in Agronomy at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Brazil. She has research experience in soil fertility, focusing on fertilizer management and crop nutrition. She has also worked on soil conservation research, with an emphasis on soil degradation and hydrological monitoring.

She is particularly interested in connecting scientific research to field applications in a clear and accessible way. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, traveling, and cooking with friends.

Diego Murillo is originally from Honduras and graduated from EARTH University in Costa Rica, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences with a major in Agricultural Engineering. His academic training focused on a comprehensive view of agronomy, always based on the pillars of sustainability.
He is passionate about the application of technology in agricultural systems, with a special interest in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). He has experience in planning and executing photogrammetric surveys for map generation, as well as in automated agricultural spraying. His goal is to optimize efficiency in the field through digital precision.
Outside of work, Diego enjoys going to the gym, photography, and being in nature, as well as spending time with people from different cultures and learning languages.

I’m a Visiting Scholar at Kansas State University, joining the Digital Agronomy Research Team (DART). Originally from Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil, I’m pursuing my degree in Agronomy Engineering at UEMASUL (Universidade Estadual da Região Tocantina do Maranhão), and previously studied at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). My background and interests center on precision agriculture, irrigation, rural management, and drone operations.

Outside of research, I enjoy reading, listening to music, cooking, staying physically active, and spending time with friends.