Bloom where you are planted
Success stories from the College of Agriculture
Professor earns honors for work in organic farming Dr. Dilip Nandwani, a professor who specializes in organic farming and its progressive practices, has been honored for his research and work at the College. Dr. Nandwani’s work on “Vertical Farming Systems” was selected for the 2020 NUEL 1890 Program Innovator Award by the National Urban Extension Leaders. Dr. Nandwani presented his work and its impact on the local community at the Southern Region NUEL Network Virtual Hangout and Awards last August. In addition, Dr. Nandwani was named 2020 Outstanding International Horticulturist by the American Society for Horticultural Science. The pandemic nor the tornado halted Dr. Nandwani’s research in the organic portion of the Agricultural Research and Education Center. He continued to work with his graduate students planting cantaloupes and watermelons during the summer. Dr. Nandwani has been at the College of Agriculture since 2014. Since then, he has written and published four books
Dr. Dilip Nandwani talks to the public about organic farming during the Small Farm Expo. Photo by Joan Kite
on organic farming, urban horticulture, sustainable horticultural systems, and genetic diversity in horticultural plants.
He currently teaches the classes Principles of Organic Agriculture, Sustainable Crop Production, and Principles of Crop Science.
Early Learning Center thrives despite virus The Tennessee State University Early Learning Center Laboratory, an on-campus daycare for the community, opened on its regular schedule adding this year the practice of social distancing while following all the recommended precautions to keep children safe, said Director Akela Barnett. It was important to continue to provide the engaging, comprehensive, researchbased curriculum that allow children to explore and burst forth in their most natural habitat through play-based learning and sensory discovery, Barnett said. “We realize during these unprecedented times, families were seeking the best, safe, LEARNING, Continued on page 45
40 AgLINK | Winter 2020
Children learn about numbers in one of the many group activities at the Early Learning Center.
