Our R&D Teams: University of Maryland UM – Center for Environmental Sciences Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute Colorado State University Cornell University University of Georgia Decagon Devices, Inc. Antir Software

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The University of Maryland Team

 

Dr. John Lea-Cox, Associate Professor and Nursery Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture is leading the UM team effort. John is a plant physiologist by training, but has always been interested in engineering and technology.  He has extensive experience in water and nutrient management for the nursery and greenhouse industry, with both his research and extension programs.

 

Dr. Andrew Ristvey, Assistant Professor and Agent for Commercial Horticulture is based at the Wye Research and Education Center.  Andrew is actively involved in quantifying water and nutrient use with wireless sensor networks, with a container-nursery research site at the Wye Research and Education Center.

 

Dr. David Ross, Professor and Extension Engineer in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology has over 30 years of extensive experience in irrigation and water management for the nursery and greenhouse industry and all things engineering!  David was recently elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

 

sprinkler

 

Dr. Doug Parker is Associate Professor and Agricultural Economist in the Department of Agricultural Resource Economics.  Doug is Director of the Mid-Atlantic Region Water Quality Program.  Doug specializes in environmental economics, economics of non-point source water pollution control, the economics of regulation and water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

 

Dr. Steve Cohan is Professor of the Practice in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.  Steve is coordinator of the Landscape Management program and has championed the Green Roof initiative in the Department since 2006.   He has extensive experience in landscape principles and management and authored the book “Business Principles of Landscape Contracting” in 2005.

 

Mr. Félix Arguedas is a MS graduate student in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.  Félix is actively involved with the calibration of capacitance sensors and the availability of water to plants in soilless substrates.  Félix anticipates plans to graduate in summer, 2009.

 

Ms. Lorelly Solano is a MS graduate student in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.  Lorelly is researching the use of alternative substrates for Green Roofs, including recycled rubber (tire) crumb and the potential Zinc phytoremediation potential of various Sedum species.