Ronald J. Smith

Purdue University
rsmith00@purdue.edu
CV

Ronald J. Smith received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in plant and soil science from Tuskegee University, Alabama, and a master’s degree in ecological science and engineering/agronomy in from Purdue, where he is a current PhD candidate in agricultural and biological engineering and ecological engineering. He has been a research assistant, research fellow and graduate fellow in the Office of Multicultural Programs. In summer 2021, he participated in the Purdue Asian American and Asian Resource Cultural Center and Anthropology of the Hometown & Abroad Summer Writing Fellowship. Volunteer engagements have included the Peer Mentoring Program and Junior Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (Junior MANRRS). He is a member of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Minorities in Agriculture, and the National Society of Black Engineers, among several others. His future research program will combine engineering, plant science, and socio-ecological approaches to investigate food production, product enhancement, materials management, resource consumption, and waste reduction. As a professor, one of his major goals is to implement inverted classroom and distance learning infrastructures. He hopes to create an active learning environment where diverse talents are respected and maximized. His plan is to develop instructional materials that support learning outcomes that are practical, theoretically and culturally relevant, and allow students to make interdisciplinary connections that translate beyond the classroom.

Area of Research

Technological innovation, controlled environment agriculture, stakeholder engagement, and interdisciplinary planning and collaboration