Announcement from Nicholas Polanin, chair of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, RCE
Please join me in welcoming Ramandeep Kumar Sharma to our ANR Department, Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension, SEBS, Rutgers University. Raman is expected to start on Tuesday, April 1, in the Salem County office of RCE after relocating from Mississippi.
Raman will spend next week in the Salem County office, with both Sal Mangiafico and Stacy Pennington, the Deputy Administrator from Salem County, introducing him to RCE and county personnel and growers. Raman will be on campus Monday, April 7 for his faculty orientation and then meeting with us here in Martin Hall. Once his Rutgers email is activated, please reach out and include him in working group opportunities.
Raman comes to us with a farming background in Punjab, Northwest India, and 7 years of experience as an Agricultural Extension Officer in India. Most recently, Raman was a Postdoctoral Associate and an Adjunct Professor in the Plant and Soil Sciences Department at Mississippi State University. Raman holds a PhD in Plant and Soil Sciences with a specialization in Agronomy, an MS in Agribusiness Management with a minor in Agricultural Economics, and a B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering. His research focuses on sensor-based fertilization, crop-climate link assessment, and optimizing management practices such as variety selection, seed density, row configurations, planting dates, and soil amendments.
I am very excited to have Raman join us here at ANR and Rutgers Cooperative Extension! I also want to thank the Search Committee, chaired by Sal Mangiafico, with members Bill Bamka, Kate Brown, Belinda Chester, Tess Stahl, and growers Dave Dolbow and Brian Porch, who did an outstanding job reviewing applicants and hosting and interviewing our finalists.
