Bio
Our research seeks to unlock AI’s full potential as a trustworthy catalyst to redefine what’s possible in plant biotechnology and shape the future of field R&D, where precision meets scale.
Research Projects
- Automation and AI for accelerating plant bioengineering and design cycles
- Autonomous ModEX (iterative Modeling-EXperiments) for reliable spatial scaling and forecasting in commercial plantations
- Systems biology of plant-microbe-soil interactions
- SMART systems (Sensors, Machine Vision, Automation and Robotics for Transforming plant systems)
Since 2019, I have led custom bio-automation projects at ORNL as Principal Investigator. Collectively, our advanced automation technologies bridge critical data and plant handling gaps, enabling breakthroughs that redefine what’s possible in autonomous, high-throughput plant genetic transformation and phenotyping.
Professional Experience
Senior Staff Scientist, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
Bredesen Center Faculty, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Education
PhD. Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Michigan Technological University, MI
Professional Affiliations
American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Specialized Equipment
SMART Plant L-series (automated plant transformation system)
SMART Plant G-series (automated greenhouse plant sampling system)
SMART Plant F-series (autonomous field sampling and monitoring system)