SOIL AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT – PEOPLE

SOIL AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT – PEOPLE
Bijesh Maharjan


Panhandle Research and Extension Center
4502 AVE I
Scottsbluff NE 69361-4939
308-632-1372
bmaharjan@unl.edu

BIJESH MAHARJAN

Assistant Professor

Maharjan is an Assistant Professor of Soil Science and Agronomy (50% research, 50% extension) at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, NE. He received Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Minnesota in 2013, M.S. in Environmental Engineering from University of North Dakota in 2008 and B.S. from Moscow State University in 2003.

He is leading research and extension programs focused on improving soil productivity and precision nutrient management in irrigated, limited-irrigation, and dryland crop and forage production systems in the Panhandle. The overall objective of his programs is to help develop and continue cost-effective, efficient and sustainable production systems that optimize profitability, along with improving soil productivity, nutrient utilization, and variable rate nutrient application.

Other research interests include air and water quality and using remote-sensing technologies in nutrient management.

He is an associate editor of Journal of Environmental Quality and a member of the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, the Crop Science Society of America and Soil and Water Conservation Society.

Email: bmaharjan@unl.edu

REX NIELSEN

REX NIELSEN

Research Technician

Nielsen has served at the University of Nebraska for more than 40 years. Rex is also a third generation rancher. He is the manager and one of the owners of the Spear T Ranch Corporation which has been in the Nielsen family for eighty five years. Nielsen also has had significant interest and involvement in Nebraska water issues.

Nielsen has a bachelor’s degree from Chadron State College and other undergraduate degrees from Nebraska Western College and Western Nebraska Technical College.

Email: rnielsen1@unl.edu

Saurav Das

SAURAV DAS

Post-Docoral Research Associate – Soil Health

Saurav’s research work is in the field of Soil Health (Soil Physicochemistry and Biology, Water Quality) and Nutrient Management (Nitrogen). His research work mainly involves in evaluating/establishing sustainable agronomic practices to improve soil health and close the soil health gap especially in Great Plains. In his research career he worked in the field of Soil and Water Microbiology, Plant-Microbe Interaction, and Plant-Genetics. He also has a keen interest in Data Science (R, Python) and Bioinformatics for analysis of different field and lab data.

Email: sdas4@unl.edu

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Dinesh Panday

DINESH PANDAY

Ph.D. Student

Panday’s research aims to determine the effectiveness of high-carbon char in reducing environmental nitrogen losses and improving nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency in semi-arid regions. The project also uses crop sensors to detect in-season maize nitrogen status and predict grain yield.

Email: dinesh.panday@huskers.unl.edu

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Deepak Ghimire

DEEPAK GHIMIRE

M.S. Student

Ghimire’s research is in the field of winter wheat fertility management. His research focus is to evaluate effects of the combination of different rates and application timing of nitrogen fertilizer on the overall stand, yield, and grain quality. His project also uses crop sensor (hand-held and UAS-mounted) to predict in-season fertility status and wheat yield and quality.

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ALUMNI

Pascal Izere

PASCAL IZERE

UNL CUSP Scholar, Summer Intern, 2019

Izere is a rising senior at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, majoring in integrated science with concentrations in mechanized system management and agronomy. After watching his parents farm for years, he knew at a very young age that he would be involved one day in agriculture. In 2019, he interned in Maharjan's soil science lab, and in fall 2019, he was an intern in Humberto Blanco's soil science. He worked on different projects like “effect of tillage and different irrigation level on soil aggregate stability” under the supervision of Maharjar and “Integrating cover crops in sloping and sandy soils and silage or grain cornfields to improve water quality and soil health" under the the supervision of Blanco. His passion grows every day as he realizes how crucial this industry is to the world.

Resume

Sahu Karubakee

Sahu Karubakee

UNL CUSP Scholar, Summer Intern, 2019

Karubakee is an undergraduate final year student at College of Agriculture, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India majoring in Agriculture. She worked as an intern in Maharjan Soil Science Lab from Feb–May 2020 on a research project to study the effects of compaction on soil nitrogen dynamics under different moisture regimes and soil types. Her career objective focuses on research and training farmers on maintenance of soil health for sustainable crop production.

"Nature is the art of God. I am enchanted by plants because they exhibit such an incredible diversity of colour, size, shape and function. My fascination and interest led me to pursue agriculture. I can help create robust diversity of crops for well-being of humans."

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Ankita Mohapatra

Ankita Mohapatra

UNL CUSP Scholar, Summer Intern, 2019

Ankita Mohapatra grew up in Odisha, India. Currently, she is an undergraduate student of Agriculture at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Odisha, India. She was selected for a 3-month International Training Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, under the National Agricultural Higher Education Project, Government of India. She worked as a non-degree research student under the guidance of Dr. Bijesh Maharjan. The goal of their research project was to evaluate the effects of variable soil compaction on N-dynamics under dry and wet weather in a simulation study using two different soil systems.

Mohapatra aspires to be a soil scientist in the near future, and wants to help in solving the soil-related problems in her country. She believes innovative techniques encompassing sustainable agriculture could help prevent further deterioration of soil, which encounters depreciation in the face of chemicals and mechanical stress.

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Arcene Ndahiro

Arcene Ndahiro

UNL CUSP Scholar, Summer Intern, 2019

REX NIELSEN

ANGE NICOLE

UNL CUSP Scholar, Summer Intern, 2018

Nicole is from Rwanda. She is currently a junior majoring in Integrated Science, with two concentrations: Conservation Agriculture and Mechanized Systems Management and a minor in Leadership. She was a summer intern at Maharjan Soil Science Lab in 2018.

In her own words, “Growing up while witnessing children who did not have enough food to eat, some of whom I would share my lunch with, used to make me sad. When I grew up, I made it my mission to do anything that can bring smiles to as many people as I can reach. Food on the table and healthy living environment are basic needs for happy living. Now, I am pursuing agriculture-related studies at UNL so that I can understand agriculture better, and be able to benefit others with that knowledge. I would like to actively contribute towards developing the agriculture sector in Rwanda.”

Nicole’s greatest passion is to work towards the food security for Rwanda and for the rest of the world.

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SEAN MERCER-SMITH

SEAN MERCER-SMITH

Summer Intern 2017-2018

JOVIALE UWASE

JOVIALE UWASE

UNL CUSP Scholar, Summer Intern, 2017

Uwase, a junior student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is majoring in Integrated Science, with a concentration in Mechanized Systems and Management. She was a summer intern in Maharjan Soil Science Lab in 2017.

She had been interested in agriculture since she was a child, and being raised in a country whose economy depends 90% on agriculture, increased her passion because the nation and the world need young people who will develop the agricultural field in fight against hunger.

“I always strive to be better than I was yesterday. My mission in life is to help people achieve their goals by using all the means I can afford. I want to contribute to my country’s development through agriculture. One of the visions our country has is to end hunger by 2050. I want to be among those who contributes to that vision, hence my passion in agriculture.”

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TONNY RUHINDA

TONNY RUHINDA

UNL CUSP Scholar, Summer Intern, 2017

Ruhinda is from Kigali, Rwanda in East Africa. He is a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is currently working on a variable rate irrigation project that involves spatially varying water across a field using speed and nozzle control. He was a summer intern in Maharjan Soil Science Lab in 2017. As a career focus, he aspires to be a soil and irrigation manager and with the knowledge he has been acquiring here at the university, he will go back home and contribute in developing the agriculture sector.

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