Ray Asebedo
Ray Asebedo is the new assistant professor of precision agriculture, as of May 2015. Asebedo is a native of Kansas, home grown in the Flint Hills. He received his B.S. degree in Agronomy from Kansas State University. He completed his Ph.D. in Agronomy from Kansas State University in 2015, where his research focused on developing nitrogen recommendation algorithms utilizing remote sensing technologies for winter wheat, corn, and grain sorghum.
Asebedo believes that precision agriculture is a system that integrates multiple disciplines, such as entomology, plant pathology, crop science, soil science, and engineering. Therefore, the precision agronomist is the integrator of all these disciplines to provide site-specific recommendations that optimize profit per acre and reduce environmental impact – with the goal of improving the sustainability of crop production.
Asebedo’s research program will focus on developing precision farming systems that integrate technologies such as crop and soil sensors from ground platforms, sUAS, and satellites to provide effective precision agronomic systems to farmers.
His teaching program will focus on training the next generation of agronomists to think outside the box and be leaders in agriculture, advocating multi-disciplinary collaboration to create a sustainable future.
Typically, Asebedo says he does not really ever clock out from work. However, he is dedicated to his family and strives to pass on his love the land and agriculture to his two daughters. Asebedo can be reached at 785-410-7172 or by email at ara4747@ksu.edu. Also follow him on Twitter @KSUPrecisionAg.
Ray Asebedo, Precision Agriculture Agronomist
A.J. Foster
A.J. Foster is the new Southwest Area Extension Crops and Soils Specialist, as of August 17, 2015. Foster was most recently the Regional Agronomy Specialist with the University of Missouri’s Southeast Region, commonly known as the Bootheel.
Foster is a native of Linstead, Jamaica. He earned an associates degree from the College of Agriculture, Science and Education in Portland, Jamaica and a diploma in secondary education from the University of the West Indies. He was then awarded a scholarship by Alcan Aluminum Corporation to attend Louisiana State University (LSU) to continue his education. He received his B.S. degree in environmental management from LSU. He has M.S. degrees in agronomy from Mississippi State University and in agronomy/soil chemistry from LSU.
He received his Ph.D. in crop science from Oklahoma State University in 2013, where his research focused on remote sensing application in bioenergy crop production system.
His goal as Southwest Area Crops and Soils Specialist will be to provide leadership for Extension educational programs in crops, soils, weeds, forage, and rangelands in southwest Kansas. Foster’s main area of expertise is soil fertility, but he also has interests in cropping systems management in different environments.
Outside of work, Foster has a love for soccer. He has taught soccer, and follows the sport closely. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, college football, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, and reading. Foster may be reached at 620-275-9164 or by e-mail at anserdj@ksu.edu.
A.J. Foster, Southwest Area Crops and Soils Specialist
Romulo Lollato
Romulo Lollato is the new Wheat and Forages Extension Specialist, starting August 3, 2015. Lollato received his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University in July 2015, where he worked under Jeff Edwards, the former OSU Small Grains Extension Specialist.
Lollato is originally from southern Brazil, where he received his B.S. in Agronomy from Londrina State University in 2009. After working for a year for the private sector, Lollato came to the U.S. in August 2010 to work toward his M.S. in Plant and Soil Sciences at OSU, focusing his research on strategies to ameliorate acidic soils for wheat production.
He received his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University in July 2015, where his research focused on a mix of field work and modeling with the goal of estimating maximum attainable wheat yields in the southern Great Plains.
Lollato’s goal as the new Wheat and Forages Extension Specialist is to have an applied research program that focuses on actual problems wheat producers face throughout Kansas, so he can support his Extension program with valuable applied research information that directly affects Kansas wheat producers’ productivity and profitability. He intends to reach Kansas producers using traditional field days, Agronomy eUpdate articles, crop schools, news releases and Extension publications; as well as sending out information on Twitter, Facebook, and through the K-State Extension Wheat webpage.
Lollato can be reached at (785) 532-0397 or by email at lollato@ksu.edu. Also, follow Lollato on Twitter at @KSUWheat.
Romulo Lollato, Wheat and Forages Extension Specialist
Steve Watson, Agronomy eUpdate Editor
swatson@ksu.edu
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