108 Agricultural Engineering Building, 
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC),
Wooster, OH 44691

Phone: 330-263-3860          FAX: 330-263-3670         E-Mail

Research Interests:

• Computer-controlled fertigation of nursery crops
• Grain drying and grain quality
• Taxus/taxol production
• Composting

Education:
B.S. - 1962 - The Ohio State University (Agricultural Engineering)
M.S. - 1962 - The Ohio State University (Agricultural Engineering)
Ph.D. - 1968 - University of California, Davis (Agricultural Engineering)

Employment History:

1987-             Research Scientist, Adjunct Ass=t. Prof., FAB Engineering,   
                     OARDC/OSU

1986-1987      Instructor, Statistical Quality Control, Terra Community College,                      Fremont, Ohio

1973-1987      Manager, Gray Haven Grain/Farm, Bellevue, Ohio

1971-1973      Vice Pres./Treas., Hansen Enterprises, Inc., Columbus, Ohio

1968-1971      Asst. Prof., Agr. Engineering, Texas A & M Univ., College  
                     Station, Texas

Professional Activities

·         Chairman, NE 164 Multistate Research Committee: “Decision Support for Design and Control of Plant Growth Systems,” 2002 - 2003. 

·         Associate Editor, Structures and Environment Division, Transactions of the ASAE and Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 2001- 2005.

Honors and Awards 

Texas A & M University 

   *  Honor professor award candidate - College of Agriculture 

American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) 

   *  Blue Ribbon Award, 1989.            Extension Bulletin.  Modern Composting--A Natural Way to Recycle Wastes.

   *  Blue Ribbon Award, 1990.              Extension Bulletin. Natural-Air Drying--Guidelines for Ohio.  

Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center 

   *   Faculty Research Award, 1998.  Awarded to Composting Team

            Team members: Harold Keener, David Elwell, Robert Hansen and Harry Hoitink

Research Assignments While Employed at the OARDC in Wooster (1987 to present) 

•    Poultry manure composting. 

•    Post-harvest grain quality as affected by drying, storage and handling.  

•    Growing, harvesting, drying, storage and handling of medicinal plants with emphasis  on Taxol production from Taxus cultivars. 

•    Computer-controlled micro-irrigation and fertigation of container-grown landscape nursery plants.

Refereed Publications 

Glynn, C., D.A. Herms, M. Egawa, R.C. Hansen, and W.J. Mattson. 2003.  Effects of nutrient availability on biomass allocation as well as constitutive and induced herbivore resistance in poplar. Oikos 101: 385-397.

Prenger, J.J., R.P. Fynn and R.C. Hansen. 2002. A comparison of four evapotranspiration models in a greenhouse environment. Transactions of the ASAE 45(6): 1779-1788.

Kirnak, H., R.C. Hansen, H.M. Keener and T.H. Short. 2002. An evaluation of physically based and empirically determined evapotranspiration models of nursery plants. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 26: 355-362.

Hansen, R.C. (Editor). 1999. Taxus and Taxol - A Compilation of Research Findings. Special Circular 150. 68 pp. Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691.

Hansen, R.C. and C.C. Pasian. 1999. Using tensiometers for precision microirrigation of container-grown roses. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 15(5):483-490.

Short, T.H., A. Irvim and R.C. Hansen. 1999. Transpiration of container-grown Acer Rubrum under conditions of high evaporative demand. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 15(5):553-557.

Hansen, R.C., M.A. Berry, H.M. Keener and R.J. Gustafson. 1996. Current Grain Drying Practices in Ohio. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 12(1):65-69

Elwell, D.L., H.M. Keener and R.C. Hansen. 1996. Controlled, high-rate composting of mixtures of food residuals, yard trimmings and chicken manure. Compost Science and Utilization 4(1):6-15

Hansen, R.C., K.D. Cochran, H.M. Keener and E.M. Croom, Jr. 1994. Taxus populations and clippings yields at commercial nurseries. HortTechnology 4(4):372-377

Hansen, R.C., and H.M. Keener. 1993. Thin layer drying of cultivated Taxus clippings. TRANSACTIONS of the ASAE 36(6):1873-1877

Hansen, R.C., H.M. Keener, C. Marugg, W.A. Dick, and H.A.J. Hoitink,. 1993. Composting of poultry manure. pp. 131-153. Science and Engineering of Composting: Design, Environmental, Microbiological and Utilization Aspects. H.A.J. Hoitink and H.M. Keener eds. Worthington, OH: Renaissance Publications.

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