Dr. Toru Nakajima has been an Associate Professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture (TUA) in the Department of Agricultural Engineering since 2017. He is currently joining the CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration (Lal Carbon Center) as a Visiting Scholar for a one-year term. His research focuses on "Carbon sequestration and soil health through regenerative agriculture," exploring the relationship between carbon sequestration and the promotion of soil health within the context of Regenerative Agriculture through the collaborative efforts at the Center.
During the years 2011 to 2014, Dr. Nakajima was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Lal Carbon Center (formerly C-MASC). Collaborating with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), he spearheaded a comprehensive research project titled "Climate Change, Mitigation, and Adaptation in Corn-Based Cropping Systems," working in conjunction with 11 universities and institutes across the Midwest.
The objectives of this research were to 1) increase resiliency of corn production systems to climate variations and extremes, 2) mitigation and adaptation of corn-based cropping systems to climate variations.” To accomplish these objectives, the team and Dr. Nakajima conducted extensive research at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, focusing on both drainage and no-tillage sites. The team gathered greenhouse gas (GHG) emission data using a Photoacoustic Spectrometer (PAS) and Gas Chromatography on a biweekly basis over three years.
Furthermore, Dr. Nakajima conducted research regarding the assessment of the soil quality index (SQI) across 10 sites in Ohio and Michigan. These assessments were conducted under varying management conditions, including no tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT), cover crops, and manure application.
In his free time, Dr. Nakajima enjoys spending quality time with his family, and surfing in the beautiful oceans in Japan.