Released: July 31, 2020
Khosla named head of K-State’s Department of Agronomy
Raj Khosla brings a strong background in digital agriculture
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Raj Khosla has been selected to lead Kansas State University’s department of agronomy beginning in January 2021.
For the past 21 years, Khosla has been on the faculty in the Department of Soil & Crop Sciences at Colorado State University, where he leads a thriving, globally recognized research, teaching and extension program in precision agriculture.
He has co-authored more than 100 refereed journal articles, book chapters, extension publications, proceedings and other publications.
“Dr. Raj Khosla comes to us with a tremendous reputation as a research scientist, accomplished teacher and rising administrative leader,” said Ernie Minton, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension. “Raj is an excellent choice as the next administrative leader for the Department of Agronomy and an ideal fit to inspire and focus the department toward strategic areas of unique global impact.”
The Department of Agronomy is among the leading departments in the College of Agriculture and at the university level in total research expenditures and extramural awards annually. Research, teaching and extension programs in the department link directly to key crops of economic importance to Kansas.
Khosla holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in soil fertility & crop management and soil physics, respectively, from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). He obtained his bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences from the University of Allahabad.
He is a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Soil and Water Conservation Society, and an Honorary Life Fellow of the International Society of Precision Agriculture. He is a highly sought and frequent speaker at national and international conferences and symposia.
In 2011, Khosla was appointed to membership for NASA’s Presidential Advisory Board on Positioning, Navigation and Timing to work on space-based GPS policy for the United States. He was named the Jefferson Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences in 2012 and was appointed as the Senior Science Advisor to the U.S. Department of State. In 2015, he was recognized as the Precision Ag Educator of the Year, a national honor bestowed by the agricultural industry.
“I’m thrilled and honored to be joining the Department of Agronomy as head,” Khosla said. “I am looking forward to learning, leading, and working with world-class faculty, staff, students and stakeholders as we move the department forward in key areas of global strength.”
K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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Ernie Minton
