Dr. Murumkar and Ms. Oruganti to lead Extension component of the Carbon Farming Alliance for Research and Management (C-FARM) Project
By Asmita Murumkar and Prasanna Oruganti
Dr. Asmita Murumkar
Dr. Asmita Murumkar is an Assistant Professor and Ecosystems Services Field Specialist in the Department of Extension at the Ohio State University, brings extensive expertise in agroecosystem modeling, conservation practices, climate change and data analytics. Previously, she served as a Research Scientist and postdoctoral scholar at the Ohio State University’s Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, respectively. Dr. Murumkar earned a Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering and a Master of Technology in Soil and Water Conservation Engineering with a gold medal for securing higher GPA from Agricultural Universities in India. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, India. Dr. Murumkar has conducted international outreach on ecosystem services assessment across multiple river basins. Currently, she is serving as principal and co-co-principal investigators on several interdisciplinary projects funded by state and federal agencies, focusing on the implementation of best covnservation practices for water quality and soil health benefits. Dr. Murumkar is leading outreach program of the C-FARM project along with her colleagues from the extension department.
Prasanna Lakshmi Oruganti
Prasanna Lakshmi Oruganti is a PhD student in the Department of Food, Agricultural, and Biological Engineering. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from India and a master’s degree in agriculture from Northwest Missouri State University.
After completing her master’s degree, Prasanna gained valuable experience as a research assistant trainee at Kansas State University. Her work was not just about data and analysis- it was hands-on and engaging. She was focused on improving water and nitrogen use efficiency in rainfed agricultural systems using predictive models. She conducted comparative studies on contemporary and historical methods of soil water retention assessment, employing advanced techniques such as the Neutron Detector Probe-COSMOS. Her fieldwork involved extensive data collection and analysis from wheat fields, requiring frequent visits to research sites and weather stations.
Currently, Prasanna is involved in the FFAR-funded project “Enhanced Soil Carbon Farming as a Climate Solution” (PI: Dr. Lal - carbon.osu.edu/c-farm). Under the guidance of Dr. Asmita Murumkar, Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins, and Dr. Vinayak Shedekar, she is researching farmer’s perceptions of carbon farming and carbon markets. She also understands field-scale decision tools for the assessment and management of carbon farming and designing educational curricula for the extension community, including farmers and extension educators.
Prasanna’s work exemplifies her commitment to advancing sustainable agricultural practices and addressing climate challenges through innovative research and community engagement.