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SDSMT Talks The Future Of Agriculture

Paul Shackow
Rajesh Shende, Sayan Roy & Tanvi Govil

In The Moment ... October 8, 2019 Show 675 Hour 2

Throughout the month of October, SDPB explores the future of agriculture in the state. Today we welcome a panel from the School of Mines to discuss the future of ag from a decidedly scientific point of view. 

Joining us from the Black Hills Studio, we have Dr. Tanvi Govil; she is a student in the department of chemical and biological engineering at SD Mines. One part of her research is in the conversion of ag by-products like corn stalks into value-added products like biodegradable plastic using microbes found in the Sanford Lab. 
 
We also have Dr. Rajesh Shende; he is a Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at SD Mines and is the leader of a $2.2 Million Department of Energy research Grant to Turn Biorefinery Waste into Valuable Products. 
 
And we have Dr. Sayan Roy, who is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at SD Mines who is working on new types of battery-less and wireless, GPS enabled soil sensing technology with real-time feedback on important indicators such as soil moisture, nutrients, soil temp, plant maturity and other information important to crop growth and health. The technology also employs a network of unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with multi-spectrum cameras that operate on an autonomous decision-making algorithm being developed as part of the research.

Lori Walsh is the host and senior producer of In the Moment.