Dharani Suresh
Welcome to Dharani’s Digital Agriculture Space
🌿 Greetings Fellow Agritech Enthusiasts!
Hello there! I’m Dharani Suresh. As a dedicated researcher in digital agriculture, I am passionate about the intersection where information technology meets the art of farming. With over 9+ years of research experience in science and engineering, I work at the forefront of developing technologies that drive the future of sustainable agriculture and precision farming. I specialize in crafting deep learning models, crop simulation modeling, geospatial analysis, and computer vision techniques. My mission is to devise precision and sustainable agricultural solutions that align with the industry’s best practices and sustainability goals.
🌾Cultivating Growth with Technology
Agriculture is not just about sowing seeds; it’s about growing ideas and harvesting better solutions. As a digital agriculture enthusiast, I delve into the data that makes our fields flourish and help agribusinesses thrive in a digital era. From precision farming to sustainable agri-tech, I am passionate about leveraging technology to enhance productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship in the agricultural sector.
Join me in exploring cutting-edge innovations that nurture our crops and communities. Here, you will be introduced to a harmonious fusion of agronomy and information technology, a reflection of my commitment to blending traditional farming wisdom with modern technological advancements in my work.
💡Educational Content 🛰️🌱
Whether you’re a seasoned scientist, an enthusiastic educator, or a curious student, this guide serves as an ideal starting point for those eager to delve into the nexus of technology and nature. It offers a comprehensive educational resource on using NASA’s APIs and tools for environmental and climate research. This guide focuses on employing platforms like NASA’s AppEEARS to access, manipulate, and visualize satellite data, thereby enhancing our understanding of Earth’s vegetation and environmental changes. It includes detailed, step-by-step instructions for engaging with these APIs.
Let’s embark on this educational journey together, unlocking the power of open data and reproducible science to significantly impact our understanding of the world. For more details, please click the link below:
🛰️Data from Above, Delve and Discover: Unveiling Earth’s Veil with NASA’s Tools🌍
🌱 🤖 Ph.D. Projects
| How Can We Foresee the Unfolding Phases of Cranberries? Cranberry Growth Stages Prediction using Advanced Deep Learning Models Peering into the future of each cranberry, this project leverages the power of deep learning to predict the growth stages of cranberries, enabling timely and informed decisions throughout their cultivation cycle. |
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| What Tells a Cranberry Bush It’s Stressed, and How Much Nitrogen Does It Whisper for Relief? Identifying Different Types of Stresses and Nitrogen Fertilizer Recommendation using Multispectral Remote Sensing Listening to the silent pleas of cranberry bushes, this endeavor uses multispectral remote sensing to discern their stress signals and whispers back with precise nitrogen fertilizer recommendations. |
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| Deciding the Perfect Harvest: When Do Cranberries Shine Brightest? Developing a Web App for Harvest Decisions in Cranberry to Help Cranberry Growers Crafting the perfect timing for cranberries to make their grand entrance from field to market, this web app serves as a digital almanac, guiding growers on the optimal moments for harvest, ensuring that every berry is at its best. |
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📚 Additional Projects
Environmental Data Science Innovation and Inclusion Lab (ESIIL) Short Course
- 🌍Project 1: Accessing NCEI-NOAA Data Using API, An Open Reproducible Science! 📡
- 🌍Project 2: Accessing MODIS Spatial Data and Analyzing Vegetation Conditions📡
- 🌍Project 3: Tracking Vegetation Dynamics in Wisconsin Through NDVI Analysis, 2018-2023📡
🎓 Education
Ph.D. in Horticultural Science / Computer Science
University of Wisconsin - Madison
M.Sc. in Environmental and Conservation Science
North Dakota State University
B.Tech. in Agricultural Information Technology
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
💼 Research & Work Experience
Computer Vision & Machine Learning Research Assistant
Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Aug 2021 - Present
Developing innovative solutions for cranberry phenotyping to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability in the industry.
Data / Geospatial Engineer
John Deere / Blue River Technology, San Francisco, CA
Apr 2018 – Dec 2019
Focused on GIS shapefile development and analysis for precision agriculture applications, supporting machine learning model development.
Research Assistant
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, North Dakota State University
Aug 2016 – Apr 2018
Innovated algorithms and digital image processing programs for agricultural applications from UAV images.
💡Technology Entrepreneurship Training
Selected Morgridge Entrepreneurial Bootcamp, enhancing my tech entrepreneurship skills and strategic understanding for opportunity development, Jun 2024
💼 Current Leadership Experience
- Science Mentor, Frontiers for Young Minds in the Engineering and Technology, Feb 2024 – Present
- Mentorship Opportunities in Science & Agriculture for Individuals of Color (MOSAIC) Mentor, UW-Madison, USA, Sep 2023 – Present
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee Member, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA, Sep 2023 – Present
- Chair-Elect, AHIS- American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), USA, Aug 2023 – Present
- International Reach Ambassador, International Student Services, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA, May 2023 – Present
🌐 Research Outreach Activities
- Engage annually with 500 growers at Wisconsin Cranberry Research Station’s Field Day, updating on cranberry cultivation technologies.
- Developed educational resources for 1,000+ growers on remote sensing in cranberry production, including a video and journal article.
- Maintain regular interaction with cranberry farmers to tailor research to real-world needs, promoting data-driven practices.
- Led farmer training on dryland crop cultivation at Crop Physiology Department, ICRISAT - CGIAR, India.
🏅 International Awards
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Gerald O. Mott Award in Crop Science, March 2023, awarded by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America for meritorious graduate student award for pursuing advanced degrees in crop science disciplines, recognizing accomplishments in academics, research, leadership, and service.
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Doreen Margaret Mashler Award – Best Researcher, April 2016, awarded by the United Nations Organization’s International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India, recognized for the development of phenotyping and modeling tools for priority setting in agricultural processes to achieve sustainability
📚 Publications
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Mura, J. D., & Babu, D. S. (2023). The Rise of Early Career Women in Agricultural Science: Overcoming Barriers and Shaping the Future. CSA News, 68(12), 29-32.
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Suresh Babu, D., Chambers, N., Jonjak, A., Alpers, R., Atucha, A., & Mura, J. D. (2023). Multispectral imaging for cranberry production improvement. Cranberry Management Journal.
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S. Dharani, C. Igathinathane, P. Flores. Overview of application of UAS in agriculture and an example plant stand count application. NGPRL USDA-ARS INTEGRATOR 2018
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S. Sunoj, S.N. Subhashree, S. Dharani, C. Igathinathane, J. G. Franco, R. E. Mallinger, J. R. Prasifka, D. Archer. Sunflower floral dimension measurements using digital image processing. (Journal of Computers and Electronics in Agriculture).
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H. Amir, V. Vadez, A. Soltani, P. Gaur, A. Whitbread, S. Dharani, M. K. Gumma, M. Diancoumba, J. Kholová. Characterization of the main chickpea cropping systems in India using a yield gap analysis approach. (Journal of Field crops Research).
🛩 Drone Pilot License
Unmanned Aerial System (Drone) FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot License, Federal Aviation Administration, USA.
🎖 Certifications
- AWS Machine Learning, Amazon Web Service (Coursera), Aug 2022
- Deep Learning with NVIDIA, NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute, Jul 2022
- Machine Learning Specialization, Stanford University (DeepLearning.AI and Stanford), May 2022
- Interfacing with Raspberry Pi, University of Irvine, CA (Coursera), Jul 2021
- Python Specialization, University of Michigan (Coursera), June 2019
- ArcGIS Spatial Analyst certification, Indian Geoinformatics Centre, India, Apr 2013
🛠 Technical Skills
- Crop Modeling Software: APSIM, DSSAT, SSM-iLegume
- GIS & Remote Sensing Software: ArcGIS, ENVI, Quantum GIS
- Programming Languages: R, Java, Python
- Image processing software: ImageJ, Pix4D
- Project Management: Jira, Confluence
- Version Control Platform: GitHub, Source Tree
🌱 Core Strengths
- Deep Learning / Machine Learning
- Computer Vision
- GIS and Remote Sensing
- Data Curation and Visualization
- Crtical Thinking
- Mentorship
- Leadership
- Clifton Strength assessment: Achiever, Strategic, Learner, Focus, Relator
📚 Scholarly and Professional Contributions Summary
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Citations | 77 |
| Reviewed Articles | 3 |
| Published Journal Articles | 2 |
| Magazine Article | 1 |
| Outreach Journal Articles | 3 |
| Thesis Publication | 1 |
| Conference Presentations | 30 |
| International Invited Talk | 1 |
| Educational Content | 1 |
📞 Connect With Me
For collaborations or inquiries, please reach out: LinkedIn: dharanisuresh
Thank you for dropping by my repository of innovation and growth. Let’s sow the seeds of change together!