Agriculture Research Assistantships
A number of graduate assistantships are available for qualified full-time thesis-track Environmental Studies students. These assistantships are typically funded through research grants from state and federal agencies.
Graduate assistants are required to assist with research relevant to the grant objectives for 20 hours per week while attending classes, and full-time during the summer semester. Compensation packages include competitive stipends and in some cases tuition remission. Research opportunities are available in the following areas:
| Animal Science | Apiculture | Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems |
| Biomass | Bioenergy | Climate Change |
| Conservation Biological Control | Entomology | Food Systems |
| Forest Management | Fruit Crops | Fruit & Ornamental Plant Breeding |
| Food Safety | Forage | Genetics |
| Genomics | High Tunnels | Land Use Change |
| Organic Agriculture | Ornamental Plants | Water Quality |
Research opportunities are available with the following Graduate Faculty members (click name to contact) |
- Dr. Anuj Chiluwal, Assistant Professor – agronomic crop production, crop physiology, aerial phenotyping
- Dr. Atanu Mukherjee, Assistant Professor - soil and water quality, wetland biogeochemistry, and biochar technology
- Dr. Avinash Tope, Associate Professor - food safety in produce, fermentation and distillation
- Dr. Buddhi Raj Gyawali, Professor - geospatial application in agriculture & environment, agroecosystems function and process, surface-coal mining impacts, climate change
- Dr. Changzheng Wang, Professor - human nutrition, food science
- Dr. Chinonso Etumnu, Assistant Professor - agribusiness management, e-commerce, entrepreneurialism
- Dr. Farida Olden, Assistant Professor - gene expression, nutrigenomics, honeybee disorders
- Dr. Frederick Bebe, Assistant Research Professor - animal/poultry health and nutrition, trace and toxic elements in animal and human nutrition, environmental and health effects of pesticides
- Dr. George Antonious, Professor - pesticide residues, bioremediation, runoff, and erosion management
- Dr. Hideka Kobayashi, Assistant Professor – ornamental breeding, niche crops for Kentucky farmers
- Dr. Katherine Kamminga, Research Scientist - integrated pest management, entomology
- Dr. Kirk Pomper, Professor - fruit horticulture production, plant breeding, biodiversity, fermentation, distillation
- Dr. Maheteme Gebremedhin, Associate Professor - soil health & conservation, regenerative farming, bio-meteorology, agroecology
- Dr. Marcus Bernard, Dean of College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources - economics of agroecology and rural sociology
- Dr. Michael F. Wempe, Assistant Professor – environmental toxicology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, plant metabolism, DMPK/ADME
- Dr. Milon Chowdhury, Assistant Professor - greenhouse technology, hydroponics, nutrient dynamics, vertical farming
- Dr. Pamela Obura - organic vegetable production, farmscaping, and bioenergy, sustainable agriculture and organic agroecosystems
- Dr. Sait Sarr, Research Scientist - urban food systems, sustainable agriculture
- Dr. Siddhartha Dasgupta, Professor - economics and marketing of small-scale farms and specialty crops, high tunnels, hydroponics
- Dr. Suraj Upadhaya, Associate Professor - social ecological systems (SES), sustainable systems, ecosystem services
- Dr. Theoneste Nzaramyimana, Assistant Professor - global food system, urban and organic agriculture, controlled environment agriculture
- Dr. Thomas Webster, Professor – honeybee pathology, wintering biology
Contact the Environmental Studies program coordinator to learn more about MES graduate assistantships. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn about other assistance available to KSU students.