Biography

Received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, University of Florida. My research focused on estimating soil carbon sequestration potential in low-input farming systems in Ghana using crop modeling and data assimilation with satellite remote sensing, developed in collaboration with ICRISAT and the University of Ghana. Served as a Co-PI of the HarvestChoice: Phase II (2013-2016). Co-managed 25 staff and 47 collaborators across CGIAR and partner institutions to develop harmonized, spatially explicit datasets to support strategic decision-making at BMGF, AGRA, USAID, G8-New Alliance, and CGIAR-SRF. Serves as the Global Coordinator of CGIAR Geospatial Science CoP (2013-present), coordinating pan-CGIAR geospatial data sharing and shared learning activities of +600 members. Co-founded the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture, sharing managerial duties and serve as a steering committee member. More than 20 years of experience simulating agriculture and natural resource management using the DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer) Cropping System Model. One of the co-authors of DSSAT. Used DSSAT in the dissertation work in Ghana in a data assimilation framework (2002-2007). Implemented DSSAT on high-performance computers at IFPRI and enabled CGIAR researchers to run grid-based crop modeling analysis in regional and global-scale studies. I use high-resolution remote sensing, historical weather, climate projections, and other socioeconomic data to characterize food production systems and parameterizes models.