Kentucky State University’s College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, through its Center for Geospatial Intelligence and Environmental Security, recently expanded its land-grant mission by hosting an intensive training workshop on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool Plus (SWAT+).
The five-day course, held Aug. 25–29, took place in both the GIS Laboratory in Hunter Hall and the Cooperative Extension Building’s computer lab. The workshop was organized in collaboration with Texas A&M University AgriLife Research, where the SWAT model was first developed.
SWAT+ is a process-based, basin-scale tool used worldwide to simulate the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater systems. It helps scientists and practitioners assess land use impacts, model runoff and sediment flows, and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation practices. The model is also widely applied in watershed planning, land use change analysis, and environmental impact assessments at regional to global scales.
Graduate students, university faculty, researchers, and early-career professionals from Kentucky State and the University of Kentucky took part in the program. In total, 30 individuals participated: 18 graduate students, six research associates, three faculty members, two doctoral students, and one additional researcher.
At the closing ceremony, attendees reflected on what they learned.
“This training opened my mind to many things I didn’t know before,” said Samuel Oshikoya, a Kentucky State research associate. “It makes a whole lot of sense now that I can utilize SWAT and QGIS for future research projects.”
Jordan Spears, a doctoral student at the University of Kentucky, said the program helped her overcome challenges with the software. “SWAT has a steep learning curve, and this workshop helped fill that gap,” she said. “Calibration and decision tables were completely new to me and very helpful.”
A similar point came from Dipesh Oli, a KSU research associate, who noted, “This course equipped me with essential calibration and simulation skills.”
Organizing support from Ife Familusi, research associate in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, was central to the workshop’s success.
“The way this program was designed, we wanted participants to run into problems—that’s how graduate students really learn,” Familusi said. “Navigating and troubleshooting data is as important as running the model itself.”
According to Dr. Buddhi Gyawali, professor of geospatial applications and the program's principal investigator, the effort demonstrated how Kentucky State’s land-grant mission "integrates academics, research, and Cooperative Extension to address real-world challenges."
He told participants, “You all have the potential to be resource persons yourselves. The real outcome of this workshop will be when participants begin publishing manuscripts—that is how we measure impact for Kentucky State University and beyond."
Dr. Marcus Bernard, dean of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, underscored the importance of the program for Kentucky State’s land-grant role.
“This is not just about software—it’s about connection and collaboration,” Dr. Bernard said. “The knowledge you gained will help drive solutions for Kentucky agriculture and beyond, which is the real outcome of this program.”
Grant support: This workshop and related research were supported by four competitively funded projects managed and directed by Dr. Buddhi Gyawali:
- Ecological Resilience and Extreme Weather Events: Impacts on Small Farmers, Landowners and Rural & Urban Communities (USDA–NIFA Evans-Allen Fund, Accession No. 7003276)
- Preparing the Pipeline of Next Generation STEM Professionals (National Science Foundation, Award No. HRD 2011917)
- Dynamic OneSource Precise-Value-Added Geospatial Information System for Maximizing Agriculture Yields (SBIR Phase I “Geospatial SBIRGY,” Award No. 2313340)
- GAEC–MSI, U.S. Department of Energy, Award No. DE-EM0005308
The workshop underscored Kentucky State University’s role as Kentucky’s 1890 Land Grant institution, where academics, research, and Cooperative Extension work in concert to advance education, research, and service across the Commonwealth.
Contacts for future training opportunities:
Dr. Buddhi Gyawali – buddhi.gyawali@kysu.edu
Mr. Ife Familusi – ife.familusi@kysu.edu