Tag Archives: Dr. Chandra Reddy

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

College of Agriculture opens six new labs

By Joan Kite

Nashville, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover and Joni McReynolds, president of the TSU National Alumni Association, joined Ag Dean Chandra Reddy at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday to open six new Ag laboratories.

TSU President Glenda Glover (center), Ag Dean Chandra Reddy (right), and Joni McReynolds, president of the TSU National Alumni Association, participate in ribbon-cutting ceremony. (submitted photo

The ceremony, which was held on National Ag Day, included the re-opening of five newly remodeled labs, bringing the total number of state-of-the art laboratories at the College to 35.

“In these labs, graduate and undergraduate students along with post-doctoral fellows, visiting scholars, and our principal scientists conduct research in national challenge areas such as food security and safety, environmental sustainability, human health and nutrition, and renewable energy,” said Reddy. “The knowledge generated from these labs is shared with the stakeholders and the public to improve agricultural productivity, human health, and community development.”

Open now for active research are the new labs for Plant Nutrition, Wildlife Ecology, Water Resources, Urban Forestry, Entomology, Organic Agriculture and Modeling and Data Analysis. USDA Capacity Building Grants helped fund the creation of the new labs, which were carved from Dr. Reddy’s former office space in the Farrell-Westbrook building.

Before the official tour of the labs, students Kristen Stigger, Taylor Ribeiro, and Durga Khandekar, dressed in crisp, white lab coats, presented Glover with freshly cut flowers. The flowers were grown in the greenhouses at TSU College of Agriculture’s Research and Education Center.

During the tour, the president and McReynolds talked with many of the students who are actively engaged in research projects. The students’ studies range from determining Tennessee’s salamander population through DNA sampling of local streams to research and discovering the best practices for using integrated pest management and biological control to prevent plant and crop destruction.

“I can move forward with my environmental DNA research much more quickly with access to state-of-the-art machines,” said Nicole Witzel, a research assistant in the Wildlife Ecology Lab. “The new lab is allowing us to conduct quality research efficiently, and I couldn’t be happier about it.”

To learn more about the College of Agriculture, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

College of Agriculture celebrates National Ag Day with inaugural AgFest

By Joan Kite

Nashville, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture will celebrate National Ag Day with its inaugural AgFest on March 20.

TSU President Glenda Glover will be present at 2 p.m. to cut the ribbon for the opening of the College’s brand new labs in the university’s Agriculture Complex on the main campus. College Dean Dr. Chandra Reddy will host a tour of those labs and existing ones. Anyone interested will have an opportunity to peer into all 27 labs.

“We want everyone to see our state-of-the-art research facilities,” says Reddy. “We want them to see the cutting-edge research being conducted at the College.”

Food, fun and festivities will be set up on the Circle in front of the complex. This year, National Ag Day’s theme is “Food for Life.” To recognize the diversity of the faculty and staff, College employees are bringing snacks and finger foods that represent their countries of origin for “A Taste of Ag.”

Dexter cattle, goats, and guinea foul from the College’s Agricultural Research and Education Center will star in the livestock show.

Urban Green Lab’s Mobile Sustainability Laboratory, a mobile classroom that offers people free interactive lessons about sustainable living and green careers, will be parked at the Circle.

Emily Hayes, a graduate student and assistant with the College’s nationally recognized goat research, says she’s looking forward to AgFest.

“The AgFest is a great opportunity for people to actually see all … these groups together, and see all of the work we’ve done as an entire ag department,” says Hayes.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded more than $2 million in teaching, research and extension capacity building grants to seven TSU Ag professors.

The funds will be dedicated to developing research and extension activities designed to increase and strengthen food and agricultural sciences through integration of teaching, research and extension.

Emoni White, a sophomore in TSU’s College of Agriculture who is majoring in animal science, says she’s proud of the work she’s doing in the College, and continues to be amazed at how far-reaching TSU’s research is.

To learn more about TSU’s College of Agriculture, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, RESEARCH, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU’s College of Agriculture begins Hemp Research Initiative with workshop

By Joan Kite

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The College of Agriculture at Tennessee State University is launching a major hemp research initiative in collaboration with Tennessee’s Department of Agriculture.

To help educate local farmers and the public, TSU’s College of Agriculture is presenting the Industrial Hemp Producers Workshop, a one-day session featuring experts in the industry from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Friday, March 2, at the Farrell-Westbrook building on TSU’s main campus.

Interest is high in this topic as all available workshop slots are already taken attracting more than 100 people, some of whom are flying in from California and Delaware.

“We want to be in this emerging area of Tennessee agriculture,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture. “Our goal is to assist the producers in growing industrial hemp efficiently.“

The College of Agriculture has charged a team of scientists to develop hemp production practices for Tennessee. The research projects also include developing hemp nutritional products for human consumption and studying the economic viability of hemp production in Tennessee.

The workshop on March 2 features hemp industry experts who will discuss licensing requirements, market prospects, business model plans, best practices and other information needed to get into the hemp production business in Tennessee. The workshops will begin at 11 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m.

Hemp, which is a form of Cannabis Sativa (marijuana), but is genetically different, is an ancient crop dating as far back as 12,000 years ago. It flourished in America during the 1800s. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were proponents for the industry. Hemp was used to produce cordage and ropes for the shipping industry, canvas, sacks, and paper. Today, hemp is used for all kinds of products from clothing to food.

Hemp fell out of favor in 1937 when the government passed the Marijuana Tax Act regulating the sale of all cannabis varieties. In 1970, the United States passed the Controlled Substances Act declaring all forms of Cannabis Sativa, including hemp, as a Schedule 1 drug, making hemp possession illegal. Hemp does not have the intoxicating THC levels found in marijuana.

Today, hemp products are imported from 30 countries to the United States. Estimates indicate that retail sales of hemp-based products in the U.S. total $300 million annually.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

FACULTY, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Dean Reddy Reappointed to National Advisory Board on Ag Research, Extension and Economics

Dr. Chandra Reddy
Dr. Chandra Reddy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, has announced the reappointment of TSU’s Dr. Chandra Reddy to another term on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board.

Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, has served on NAREEEAB since 2010 when he was first appointed by Secretary Vilsack. The new appointment ends Sept. 30, 2016.

NAREEEAB, a 25-member board, provides advice to the Secretary of Agriculture and land-grant colleges and universities on top priorities and policies for food and agricultural research, education, extension and economics.

According to a USDA announcement, the board also “seeks stakeholder input on important agricultural issues from a broad and diverse variety of persons and groups across the nation,” which helps the Secretary determine priorities that guide the nation’s agricultural research, outreach, education and economy.

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.