Forouzandeh Soltani | Plant Stress | Women Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Forouzandeh Soltani | Plant Stress | Women Researcher Award

Associate professor, University of Tehran, Iran

Dr. Forouzandeh Soltani Salehabadi is an Associate Professor of Vegetable Genetics and Breeding at the University of Tehran, Iran. She is also currently a Research Associate at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. With expertise in vegetable crop physiology and breeding, Dr. Soltani has an exceptional academic and research career. She has contributed significantly to agricultural science through international collaborations and cutting-edge research. As a recognized leader, Dr. Soltani has held prominent roles, including Deputy of the Horticultural Science Department at the University of Tehran, where she mentored numerous students. Her work is focused on improving the genetic quality and stress tolerance of crops, especially melon and cucumber varieties. She has extensive international collaborations with institutions in Germany, France, Japan, and other countries. Dr. Soltani has earned recognition in the form of prestigious awards, grants, and high-impact publications.

Profile

Education

Dr. Forouzandeh Soltani Salehabadi holds a Ph.D. in Horticultural Science, specializing in the physiology and breeding of vegetable crops, which she completed in 2010 at the University of Tehran, Iran. Before that, she earned a Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Horticultural Science from the same university in 2003, and a Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc.) in Horticultural Science from Valiasr University, Iran, in 2001. Her education provided her with a strong foundation in plant science, focusing on vegetable crops’ breeding, physiology, and genetic improvement. Through her academic journey, Dr. Soltani has developed expertise in vegetable breeding, crop stress physiology, and biotechnology, making substantial contributions to both her home country and internationally. Her academic path has supported her later research career, where she has pushed boundaries in the genetic improvement of crops, particularly under stress conditions like drought and salinity.

Experience

Dr. Forouzandeh Soltani Salehabadi has over a decade of experience in academia and research. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Horticultural Science Department at the University of Tehran, where she has made significant contributions to research and teaching. Prior to this, she served as an Assistant Professor from 2011 to 2022 and also held the role of Graduate and Undergraduate Program Director at the university. Between 2022 and 2023, Dr. Soltani was the Deputy of the Horticultural Science Department. In addition to her position in Tehran, Dr. Soltani is currently a Research Associate at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, where she continues her international collaborations. Over her career, Dr. Soltani has worked extensively with international research teams from Germany, France, Japan, and more, engaging in projects that advance crop breeding, stress tolerance, and genetics, particularly in melons, cucumbers, and aubergines.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Forouzandeh Soltani Salehabadi has received numerous grants and awards for her groundbreaking research in vegetable breeding and genetics. She has been awarded fully funded grants for her greenhouse cucumber inbred lines breeding program and has received recognition from the University of Tehran and the Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute for the registration and commercialization of Cantaloup hybrid varieties. Her work on the genetic improvement of melon and other vegetable crops has earned her recognition in the scientific community, with high citation rates for her publications. The international recognition of her research and contributions to global agricultural science further exemplifies her excellence in the field. Dr. Soltani’s leadership and mentorship in academia have also garnered accolades, highlighting her influence on shaping the next generation of scientists and researchers, particularly women, in agricultural science.

Research Focus

Dr. Forouzandeh Soltani Salehabadi focuses on vegetable genetics and breeding, particularly on improving drought and salinity stress tolerance in vegetable crops. Her research aims to enhance the nutritional quality, yield, and resilience of crops such as melon, cucumber, and aubergine. A significant part of her work involves understanding and regulating the carotenoid metabolism in colored vegetables like cauliflower, which impacts their nutritional value. Additionally, her work on the genetic diversity of melons and other crops using molecular markers is pivotal in developing superior breeding lines. Dr. Soltani’s studies on magnetic fields and their impact on seed germination, along with the application of biofertilizers to improve crop yields, have contributed to sustainable agriculture practices. By collaborating internationally with renowned institutions in Germany, France, and Japan, Dr. Soltani is advancing global efforts in the genetic improvement of vegetable crops under environmental stress.

Publication Top Notes

  1. Characterization of Iranian melon landraces of Cucumis melo L. Groups Flexuosus and Dudaim by analysis of morphological characters and random amplified polymorphic DNA (Breeding Science, 2010) 🌱
  2. Effect of magnetic field on Asparagus officinalis L. seed germination and seedling growth (Seed Science and Technology, 2006) 🌾
  3. Evaluation of combining ability in Cucurbita pepo L. and Cucurbita moschata Duchesne accessions for fruit and seed quantitative traits (Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 2018) 🍉
  4. Genetic diversity of Cucurbita pepo L. and Cucurbita moschata Duchesne accessions using fruit and seed quantitative traits (Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 2018) 🍈
  5. The effect of nitrogen fixation and phosphorus solvent bacteria on growth physiology and vitamin C content of Capsicum annum L. (Iranian Journal of Plant Physiology, 2013) 🌶️
  6. Morphological and Physio-Biochemical Responses of Watermelon Grafted onto Rootstocks of Wild Watermelon (Horticulturae, 2021) 🍉
  7. Selenium Fortification Alters the Growth, Antioxidant Characteristics and Secondary Metabolite Profiles of Cauliflower (Plants, 2021) 🥦
  8. Effect of magnetic field on Ocimum basilicum seed germination and seedling growth (International Symposium on the Labiatae, 2006) 🌿
  9. Growth, yield and enzyme activity response of watermelon accessions exposed to irrigation water deficit (International Journal of Vegetable Science, 2018) 🍉
  10. Analysis of general and specific combining ability of postharvest attributes in melon (Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 2020) 🍈

 

 

Thai Ha Dang | Computers and Electronics in Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Thai Ha Dang | Computers and Electronics in Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

Researcher, University of North Texas, United States

Thai Ha Dang is a passionate graduate student currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of North Texas. With over 2 years of experience in wearable embedded devices and wireless sensing systems, he specializes in RF energy harvesting and machine learning for signal processing. His research spans human and animal models, and he has worked on projects related to cow behavior classification, energy harvesting systems, and underwater monitoring. Thai’s commitment to research has led him to present at various international conferences and publish in high-impact journals. He has honed his skills in embedded system design, programming, and data analysis, making him a key player in the field of agricultural technology and sensor networks. His strong academic background and innovative contributions have made him a respected researcher among peers and mentors alike.

Profile

Orcid

Education

Thai Ha Dang’s educational journey began at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Vietnam, where he earned his Degree of Engineer in Electrical Engineering, ranking in the top 15% of his class. He further advanced his studies by pursuing a Master’s degree in Electrical Computer Engineering at Pukyong National University in South Korea, where he graduated with a GPA of 4.12/4.5. This rigorous academic background provided a strong foundation in embedded systems, machine learning, and wireless sensor networks. Currently, he is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Electrical Engineering at the University of North Texas, where his research focuses on wearable embedded devices and RF energy harvesting. His dedication to academia is reflected in his continued pursuit of knowledge and excellence in his research endeavors, particularly in the application of machine learning techniques for signal processing in embedded systems.

Experience

Thai Ha Dang has built a solid foundation in research and industry through diverse experiences. As a Research Assistant in the Embedded Sensing & Processing Systems (ESPS) Lab at the University of North Texas, he is currently working on developing an underwater monitoring system, combining his interests in wireless sensing and energy harvesting. Before this, he contributed to a wide array of projects at the AIOT Lab, Pukyong National University, where he designed a multi-channel embedded device for monitoring cow behavior. This involved system design, firmware development, and experimentation. He also gained hands-on experience during his tenure as an engineer in Samsung Display Vietnam’s AI group, where he worked on training neural networks for computer vision tasks related to defect detection. His strong technical skills, combined with a practical understanding of industry needs, make him well-equipped to tackle complex research challenges in embedded systems and machine learning applications.

Awards and Honors

Thai Ha Dang has been recognized for his contributions to the research community through several prestigious awards. Notably, he received the Best Paper Award at the Korea Institute of Convergence Signal Processing (KICSP) in December 2021 for his work on deep learning approaches for food quality assessment using hyperspectral sensors. Additionally, he was honored with the Brain Korea 21 Scholarship for the years 2021-2023, further validating his potential as a leader in his field. Thai’s academic excellence has been supported by research assistantships at both Pukyong National University and the University of California Irvine. These honors reflect his continuous pursuit of knowledge and the impact his work has had on advancing technology in agriculture and embedded systems. His recognition through these awards underscores his talent, dedication, and potential to drive innovation in his research.

Research Focus

Thai Ha Dang’s research primarily focuses on developing and applying wearable embedded systems for low-powered monitoring and energy harvesting, with a strong emphasis on machine learning techniques. His work includes creating self-powered systems, such as his wireless sensor network for monitoring cow behavior, which uses 915 MHz radio frequency energy harvesting. Another key area of his research is food quality monitoring, where he explores battery-free systems powered by RF energy harvesting to detect freshness in food products. Additionally, Thai has delved into underwater monitoring and aquaculture, with applications for shrimp larvae counting using multi-scale feature networks. His multidisciplinary research blends electrical engineering, machine learning, and sensor technology to address real-world challenges in agriculture, food safety, and environmental monitoring. Thai is particularly interested in developing sustainable and efficient systems that are capable of operating in challenging and remote environments, offering a glimpse into the future of intelligent, energy-efficient devices.

Publication Top Notes

  • “Self-Powered Cattle Behavior Monitoring System Using 915 MHz Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting,” IEEE Access, 2024.
  • “VAE-LSTM Data Augmentation for Cattle Behavior Classification Using a Wearable Inertial Sensor,” IEEE Sensor Letters, 2024.
  • “Radio-Frequency Energy Harvesting-based Self-Powered Dairy Cow Behavior Classification System,” IEEE Sensors Journal, 2023.
  • “A LoRaWAN-Based Smart Sensor Tag for Cow Behavior Monitoring,” IEEE Sensors Conference, 2022.
  • “B2EH: Batteryless BLE Sensor Network Using RF Energy Harvesting,” IEEE Applied Sensing Conference, 2023.
  • “Shrimp Larvae Counting in Dense Environments Using Size-Adaptive Density Map Estimation and Multi-scale Feature Network,” IEEE Transactions on Agrifood Electronics (accepted).