By Maggie Willis
The Ohio State University was thrilled to welcome a delegation from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) for the first time since the turn of the century. The guests from PAU included Vice Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal; Dean of Postgraduate Studies Manav Indra Singh Gill; Director of Research Ajmer Singh Dhatt; Dean of the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology Manjeet Singh Makkar; and Associate Director of Institutional Relations, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Vishal Bector. The FAES International Programs in Agriculture, led by Director Luis Cañas and Administrative Associate Poppy Thornton, collaborated with the School of Environment and Natural Resources and Director of the Lal Carbon Center Rattan Lal to plan a full schedule of events for the delegation during their brief stay visited from September 30th to October 2nd, 2024.
The visit began with an evening meal on Monday, hosted by Dr. Michael Chrisman, leader of the Ohio International Internship Program. The following morning, the delegation toured the Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Center (CEARC) at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, as well as the Orton Geological Museum, guided by Dr. Cañas. They enjoyed a relaxing lunch at the faculty club, where they were joined by Dr. Rattan Lal, Dr. Vinayak Shedekar, and Dr. Scott Shearer. Later, they attended a reception at Kottman Hall with CFAES faculty members, students, and staff.
That afternoon, Dr. Singh Gosal presented an instructive seminar on the advancements in research and teaching at PAU (see article here). Former CFAES Associate Dean Dave Hansen flew in from Mexico to attend the seminar. 
During his tenure as Director of the International Program in Agriculture, Dr. Hansen played a critical role in fostering a mutually beneficial partnership with PAU, and he appreciated the opportunity to help re-establish this relationship. Dr. Lal and Dr. Cañas presented certificates to each delegate commemorating the visit, while the PAU delegation honored Dr. Lal, Dr. Cañas, and Dr. Hansen with medals to mark the occasion. That evening, the delegates enjoyed a sampling of local Punjabi cuisine at Aab India Restaurant, hosted by Dr. Cañas, Dr. Chrisman, and Dr. Lal.
On Tuesday morning, the group had breakfast at The Blackwell, joined by Associate Dean of FAES Research and Graduate Education Administration Gary Pierzynski and Associate Director of Ohio Agricultural Experimental Stations Lingying Zhao. Executive Vice President Peter Mohler welcomed them for a lively meeting in his office, followed by a catered lunch hosted by Vice Provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs Kaya Şahin at the Translational Data Analytics Institute. 
The luncheon included Dr. Amy McCulla, Director of Global Gateways, and Dr. Rita Koryan, Director of International External Engagement, and it provided an excellent exchange of ideas. Dr. Lal delivered an in-depth overview of the collaborative history between PAU and Ohio State, introducing plans for future partnerships, including the Rattan Lal Exchange Scholar Program, set to launch in 2025, funded by the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity awarded to Dr. Lal in July 2024.
Plans for a visit to the Ohio State Wooster campus were rescheduled for a virtual meeting in the afternoon, allowing the delegation to connect online with Dr. Thaddeus Ezeji, Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Animal Sciences; Dr. Aradhya Gourapura, Professor and CFAH Director FAES - Center for Food Animal Health; and Dr. Scott Kenney, Associate Professor at the Center for Food and Animal Health. That evening, the Federation of Asian Indian Associations (FIA) graciously hosted the delegation for their final evening in Columbus.
The following morning, Dr. Konrad Dabrowski led a tour of the greenhouse facilities at Kottman Hall, and PhD student Brittany Multer Hopkins presented her research to the delegates virtually. Dr. Lal and Research Technician Alex Jones guided them through a tour of Ohio State around CFAES, including the iconic Horseshoe and Ohio Stadium, the heart of Ohio State and home of our Buckeyes. The group departed for their next destination of Kansas State University in the early afternoon.
We are grateful for the opportunity to engage with the PAU delegation to rebuild the longstanding relationship between Punjab Agricultural University and The Ohio State University. We wish you successful travels through the rest of your journey and are so pleased to hear that you had a safe trip home.
For more news from C-FARM and the Lal Carbon Center, explore our Autumn Newsletter.