Agriculture and Food Technologies Research Cluster
Overview
The global population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, increasing demands on food production and environmental sustainability. Agriculture is undergoing a digital transformation—leveraging AI, drones, blockchain, and big data to enhance productivity, profitability, and food system resilience. Meanwhile, food safety, quality, and supply chain management are more critical than ever.
The Agriculture and Food Technologies Research Cluster at the University of Memphis convenes researchers from biology, chemistry, engineering, computer science, health, law, and business to explore innovative solutions for food and agricultural systems. The cluster integrates fundamental, applied, and policy research to tackle real-world problems in agriculture, nutrition, and sustainability.
Institute for Agricultural and Conservation Research and Education (ACRE)
The University of Memphis launched ACRE to drive innovation in conservation, soil
health, climate-resilient food systems, and biomanufacturing. This cross-disciplinary
institute unites experts from Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Health Sciences
to address agricultural and environmental challenges through impactful research and
collaboration.
Research Areas & Themes
- Biology: Plant/crop, animal, and microbial interactions; forestry, biodiversity, sustainability.
- Food Safety: Microbiology of pathogens across the food supply chain.
- Chemistry: Contaminants, processing, packaging, agricultural inputs, and analytical techniques.
- Engineering: High-tech tools for efficient food and agricultural production.
- Water Resources: Water quality and management.
- Blockchain / Supply Chain / Cybersecurity: Efficiency and vulnerability in global food logistics.
- Business / Economics / Finance: Economic impacts and trade studies.
- Law: Regulatory frameworks and water rights in agriculture.
- Nutrition: Nutrition science and its impact on health.
Faculty & Researchers
Director
Institute for Agricultural and Conservation Research and Education (ACRE)
Learn More »
Current / Past Research Projects
Profiles of Chemical Contaminants and Antibiotic Resistance in Urban Garden Soil
Chunrong Jia
Analyzes soil in urban gardens for heavy metals and antibiotic resistance, addressing
health risks and supporting safe urban agriculture.
Phylogenetics of African Oilseed Crop Centrapalus Pauciflorus
Jennifer Mandel
Uses genetic data to understand crop diversity and evolution to support breeding and
agricultural development.
Fungal Endophytes for Bioherbicidal Kudzu Control
Shawn Brown
Develops fungal endophyte strategies to control invasive Kudzu, preventing legume
pathogen spillover and reducing fungicide use in soybeans.
Increasing Crop Production in Rural Haiti
Debra Bartelli
Focuses on sustainable agricultural practices and solutions to improve food production
in rural Haitian communities.
Polyphenols & Immune Cell Metabolism
Brandt Pence
Studies how plant-based polyphenols like EGCG modulate immune metabolism, linking
agricultural products to health interventions.
Heavy Metal Uptake by Agricultural Microplastics
Maryam Salehi Esfandarani
Investigates how degraded microplastics in soil absorb and release heavy metals, affecting
agricultural safety and crop health.
GIS Mapping & Drones for Urban Soil Health
Esra Ozdenerol
Combines drone imaging with soil testing to assess and visualize urban farm soil quality
for community health and education.
Autonomous UAV Detection of Crop Weeds
Eddie Jacobs
Uses drones and deep learning to identify and localize weed infestations, enabling
precision spraying and reduced herbicide use.
Predicting Tree Species Diversity with Deep Learning
Youngsang Kwon
Applies machine learning to landscape data to model tree biodiversity, supporting
conservation and sustainable forestry.
Nanocomposites for Wastewater Treatment
Sanjay Mishra
Explores green-synthesized silver-carbon nanospheres for removing organic pollutants
from agricultural wastewater using sunlight or UV exposure.
Partnerships & Collaborations
ACRE collaborates with:
- Multiple University of Memphis colleges
- Local and national government agencies
- Industry partners in agriculture, food safety, and logistics
The cluster fosters collaborative opportunities with external researchers, agricultural organizations, and environmental stakeholders.
Get Involved
Faculty, students, and external partners are invited to collaborate through:
- Research projects
- Industry partnerships
- Internships and student research opportunities
- Educational programming through ACRE
For more information or to explore collaboration opportunities, please contact: ACRE@memphis.edu OR fedex@memphis.edu