January 01, 2020

I am pleased to announce that we offer financial support ($25,000 for four years) to one eligible student to complete a bachelor’s degree in BAE (Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering emphasis/ BS in Engineering Sciences). It will support student’s participation in extra-curricular activities related to BAE such as undergraduate research, professional conferences, workshops, and government and industry internships (e.g. stipend, travel, books and supplies, computer and peripherals).

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The selection will be based on criteria below:

1. Major related to the food and agricultural sciences (e.g. BAE emphasis) (30%)

2. Hispanic or underrepresented student (20%)

3. Female (20%)

4. Essay indicating interest in food and agricultural sciences/Desire to pursue a career at USDA or in food and agricultural sciences (10%)

5. Leadership activities and community service (10%)

6. G.P.A. (10%)

Requirements:

1. Be a citizen or national of the United States

2. Freshmen

Application forms should consist of the following materials:

1. Personal information: name, email, phone number

2. A statement of purpose describing what you hope to gain by this scholarship program, your career interest, etc.

3. GPA and anticipated major (priority to students with interest in agricultural engineering)

4. Short bio or CV

Submit your application package via email to yampatzidis@csub.edu

January 01, 2020

For Fall 2016, we are looking to hire 5 students with interest in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. They will participate in a 10-week research program (up to 20 hours per week) and receive a $1,500 stipend.

Mentors/Supervisors: Dr. Y. Ampatzidis and Dr. S. Jafarzadeh.

The selection will be based on criteria below:

• Major related to the food and agricultural sciences (e.g. ag engineering emphasis) (30%)

• Hispanic or underrepresented student (20%)

• Female (20%)

• Essay indicating interest in food and agricultural sciences/Desire to pursue a career at USDA or in food and agricultural sciences (10%)

• Leadership activities and community service (10%)

• G.P.A. (10%)

Requirements:

• Be a citizen or national of the United States

• Must be attending a public or other non-profit Hispanic-Serving Institution (e.g. CSUB)

Please, submit your application package (including your CV, essay etc.) to Dr. Ampatzidis at yampatzidis@csub.edu

Application forms should consist of the following materials:

1. Personal information: name, email, phone number

2. Essay indicating interest in food and agricultural sciences/Desire to pursue a career at USDA or in food and agricultural sciences

3. GPA and anticipated major (priority to students with interest in agricultural engineering)

4. Short bio or CV

5. Leadership activities and community service

6. Proof of “Hispanic or underrepresented student”

April 25, 2016

I am pleased to welcome

California State University, Bakersfield

Student Engineering Branch

as an authorized Student Branch of ASABE (American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers).

This Student Branch exists to promote professional relationships for students; familiarize students with technical interests and developments; and provide a basis for professional aspirations and transition from academic to professional carries!

Official website (draft): http://csubasabe.wix.com/engineering

Officers:

Omar Samara-President

Fabian Acuna-Vice President

Thomas Snowden-Treasurer

Daryl Trudeau-Secretary

ASABE Student Engineering Branches: http://www.asabe.org/membership/preprofessionalsstudents/academic-programsstudent-branches/engineering-branches.aspx

April 11, 2016

Dear students,

I am pleased to announce that we have received a grant from National Institution of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), USDA to support undergraduate research at CSUB ($275,178). This project will develop experiential learning, research and extension opportunities for underrepresented students. It will offer extensive hands-on training to students and prepare them for a successful career in a transforming agricultural environment.

For more information, check the project’s web-site: http://www.csub.edu/reu

March 15, 2016

I am pleased to announce that we have received a grant from National Institution of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), USDA to support undergraduate research at CSUB ($275,178). This project will develop experiential learning, research and extension opportunities for underrepresented students. It will offer extensive hands-on training to students and prepare them for a successful career in a transforming agricultural environment.

Three Hispanic Serving Institutions (HIS) will participate in this project: 1) California State University, Bakersfield; 2) California State University, Fresno; 3) California State University, Fullerton. Extension and education activities for students will be provided through the collaboration with: 1) UC Davis, Cooperative Extension Kern County, Bakersfield; 2) USDA National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Bakersfield; 3) Shafter Research Station; and 4) local agricultural companies.

Budget: $275,178

Duration: 2016 - 2019

For more information, please check here: http://www.csub.edu/reu

March 22, 2016

Dr. Ampatzidis has applied, as a Project Director, for a NSF grant (INFEWS - Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems) to develop novel site-specific irrigation management systems to (i) optimize irrigation water usage, (ii) optimize in-field energy management, and (iii) maximize crop yields. In this proposal, we will develop (a) an intelligent, site-specific, irrigation and energy management system based on data (e.g., soil moisture, ET, quality of growth) collected by smart sensors from the farm, (b) an automated machinery, labor and food traceability monitoring systems, and (c) a multi-objective optimization framework for farms with specialty crops. The management system can be adopted as an integral component of a decision support system (DSS) for farmers.

Three Universities will participate in this project: 1) California State University, Bakersfield; 2) University of Nevada, Reno; 3) University of California, Cooperatinve Extension - Kern County.

Budget: $918,824.

Duration: 3 years

March 01, 2016

Dr. Ampatzidis paper entitled "Cloud-Based Harvest Management Information System for Hand-Harvested Specialty Crops" has been published in the Computer and Electronics in Agriculture Journal.

Authors: Y. Ampatzidis, L. Tan, R. Haley, M. Whiting

Journal: Computers and Electronics in Agriculture

Volume 122, March 2016, Pages 161–167

doi:10.1016/j.compag.2016.01.032

February 10, 2016

Dr. Ampatzidis has applied, as a Project Director, for a USDA-NIFA grant (Hispanic-Serving Institutions-Education Grants Program).

Objectives/Goals: (1) Increase student enrollment (by 30% every year); (2) Increase female enrollment (by 40% at the end of fourth year); (3) Increase of Hispanic and underrepresented students in the agricultural engineering emphasis (60% by the end of fourth year).

Budget: $274,728.

Duration: 4 years

February 10, 2016

CSUB engineering students, Josh Ward (right) and Garrett Croney (middle), win 2nd place award in ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) California-Nevada section poster competition with their project: “Automated System Using Wireless Sensor Network and Fuzzy Logic for Irrigation and Energy Management”, in Tulare Ca, Feb-10 2016. Also shown on the left, project supervisor Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis (Assistant Professor of Engineering).

January 22, 2016

California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) is proud to announce the first Bakersfield Mini Maker Faire, the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth, which will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2016 from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m in the Student Union.

Dr. Ampatzidis and Josh Ward will present a remote-controlled lawn mower, built by Cal State engineering students.

Check this article at The Bakersfield Californian here!

and the Maker Fair website here!

October 19, 2015

Check the article about the fairWeigh system:

http://www.rfidjournal.com/articles/view?13630/

October 14, 2015

The Department of Physics and Engineering at California State University is looking for a motivated individual to join its team as a research fellow under the supervision of Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis (CSUB) and Dr. Stavros Vougioukas at University of California Davis (UC Davis).

The selected candidate will work in the area of UAVs, mechatronics, robotics and precision farming technologies. Primary responsibilities include designing and implementing research studies, assisting with student projects, collecting and analyzing data, preparing research results for publication, presenting at national meetings, and assisting in the preparation of grant proposals.

For questions, contact Dr. Ampatzidis at yampatzidis@csub.edu

For the job description click here

September 25, 2015

The paper entitled: "Cloud-Based Harvest Management Information System for Hand-Harvested Specialty Crops" has been submmited to Computers and Electronics in Agriculture Journal.

August 14, 2015

Dr. Ampatzidis has applied for a USDA research grant, as Co-PI (PI: Dr. Lee, University of Florida), to develop a robust, cost-effective methodology for early detection of HLB prior to symptom development (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crops Research Initiative, Citrus Disease Research and Extension). More specifically, we want to develop a fully autonomous and smart diagnosis system along with handheld tools for non-destructive HLB scouting. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that polarized imaging technique can reveal the HLB status of citrus plants in pre-symptomatic stages.

Total Budget: $2,997,219.

CSUB Budget: $648,530.

Duration: 4 years

July 06, 2015

Dr. Ampatzidis has applied for a research grant, as a Co-PI (PI: Dr. Negrini from CSUB) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Water for Agriculture Challenge Area) to test the following hypothesis:

"after treatment, unconventional water sources including oil field formation water and saline groundwater can be utilized safely for crop and animal agriculture and make a significant, cost-effective impact on alleviating drought for large agricultural centers".

The study addresses a key problem of national, regional and multi-state importance, that is, sustaining water supply during climate-change induced drought periods in a major agricultural center that has several analogs around the country and, in fact, the world. The research employs a system-wide approach integrating studies such as resource availability, treatment technologies, effects on plant, forage and soil, economic analyses, and extension activities toward informing both industry and the community at large regarding opportunities and risks.

Budget: $9,903,390.

Duration: 4 years

May 06, 2015

Dr. Ampatzidis has applied for a USDA grant (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Undergraduate Research and Extension Experiential Learning Fellowships) to develop experiential learning, research and extension opportunities for underrepresented students.

Three Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) will participate in this project: 1) California State University, Bakersfield; 2) California State University, Fresno; 3) California State University, Fullerton. Extension and education activities for students will be provided through the collaboration with: 1) UC Davis, Cooperative Extension Kern County, Bakersfield; 2) USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bakersfield CA; 3) Shafter Research Station; 4) Bolthouse Farms Inc., Bakersfield CA.

Objectives/activities: (1) develop learning and research opportunities (hands-on experience) for undergraduate students in the area of precision agriculture, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), mechatronics, GIS, mechanization and automation of specialty crop production, in cooperation with three universities, local agricultural companies and extension centers (USDA and UC); (2) organize summer research and extension activities; (3) establish new research collaboration in the area of precision farming and UAVs; (4) provide experimental learning and extension activities to students.

Budget: $299,367.

Duration: 3 years

July 20, 2015

Dr. Ampatzidis has applied for a USDA   grant (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Capacity Building Grants for Non Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture) to investigate the use of oil water in agriculture.

The total budget is $149,785 (duration: 2 years).

Co-PDs: Dr. Dayanand Saini, Dr. Robert Negrini

This project will develop experiential learning and applied research opportunities for underrepresented students. It will offer extensive hands-on training to students and prepare them for a successful career in a transforming agricultural environment.

Outcomes/intended impact: 1) Novel experiential learning and applied research activities will be developed for undergraduate students (20 students); 2) develop the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the water and agricultural sciences who will lead agriculture into the future; 3) Generate set of fundamental data, new technologies, and decision-making resources to be used by agriculture industry in the application of formation waters and groundwater resources of marginal quality.

April 15, 2015

Dr. Ampatzidis has applied for a educational USDA grant (U.S. Department of Agriculture, HSI Educational Grants Program) to develop innovative course curricula in biological and agricultural engineering concentration.

Objectives:

(1) New courses with experiential components will be developed in cooperation with the Computer and Electrical Engineering Department at CSUB; (2) Academic summer camps for students entering grades K-12 will be organized; (3) Full scholarship will be provided; (4) A new research laboratory “Lab for Precision and Automated Systems” will be established; (5) provide experimental learning activities to students (e.g. internships) collaborating with USDA agencies and local industry.

Budget: $260,057

Duration: 4 years