The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Undergraduate and Graduate Research Forum Poster Competition provides a means for undergraduate students to share their research with members and friends of the OSU community; recognizes the significant contributions to research by OSU undergraduates; and facilitates exchange between students, faculty, and the public.
The Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) had several winners across both undergraduate and graduate competition, furthering the department's place as a well-respected national institution.
The research staff category was the department's best, as Asmita Khanal received first while Arshad Ansari was awarded third.
Khanal is conducting a techno-economic analysis of camelina production for renewable diesel, using field data and literature to estimate resource requirements and costs, identifying fertilizers, grain yield, and harvest equipment productivity as key factors for improving system performance and economics. She is advised by Ajay Shah.
Ansari's work used the SWAT model to evaluate the hydrological and water quality impacts of switchgrass cultivation on AMLs in Ohio, demonstrating improved water quality and substantial biomass yields, highlighting switchgrass as a viable strategy for reclamation and bioenergy production. He is advised by Sami Khanal.
In the master's portion, Lindsey Shimoda received second place for her research, dedicated to biofilm detection. She is developing a spectral biofilm detection sensor to monitor growth in spacecraft and hydroponic environments, using an automated testing apparatus and binary classification model to identify biofilm presence and optimize cleaning. Shimoda is advised by faculty Peter Ling.
Undergraduate Hannah Bernstein was awarded second place for her work with the C-FARM. The C-FARM is examining the impact of till versus no-till on soil microbiome and carbon sequestration, aiming to address knowledge gaps in SOC sequestration through large-scale evaluations across diverse U.S. agroecosystems. She is advised by Dr. Virginia Rich in the Department of Microbiology.
Fariba Babaeian received third in the Postdoc category, and her research is aimed to enhance the representation of drainage intensity in the SWAT model for the Maumee River Watershed by utilizing the Ohio Drainage Guide recommendations, demonstrating improved water quality predictions but also highlighting the need for further source code modifications to accurately predict field-scale effects. She is advised by Vinayak Shedekar.