Rajan Ghimire, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Research Director
NMSU Carbon Management Center
Laboratory Members
summer 2023
Job Announcement: Postdoctoral Research Associate
We are seeking an application for a Postdoctoral research associate to work on an NSF-funded project to identify linkages between soil health and ecosystem services (e.g., water conservation, crop production, soil C sequestration) in diverse agricultural systems. The candidate will engage in field, greenhouse, and laboratory works
to study soil health and soil carbon/nitrogen dynamics under regenerative cropping
practices (cover crop, crop rotation, perennial cropping) and soil amendments
(compost, biochar) in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems, and is expected to have enthusiasm in research, be able to design and establish
experiments, collect soil and plant samples from on-station and on-farm plots,
analyze soil samples for various parameters, run the statistical analysis, and
write manuscripts. Advanced research and data analysis techniques,
including machine learning and artificial intelligence in soil health, would be beneficial. The
candidate is expected to have excellent
oral and written communication skills and the capability to work independently
and in a collaborative environment. The candidate must be able to work in a
multicultural environment and create an environment that fosters collegiality,
diversity, and teamwork; have knowledge of field and greenhouse research and
interest in running laboratory equipment; can manage multiple projects at the
same time, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines; and work with a diverse group
of people. Interested candidates should send a single pdf
file containing the following documents to Dr. Rajan Ghimire
(rghimire@nmsu.edu): (i) a cover letter, (ii) curriculum vitae, and (iii) a list
of three references including names, email addresses, and telephone numbers.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position
is filled.
Research Group
Amrit Dhoj Adhikari, Lab Coordinator
Amrit performs laboratory and field tests to evaluate soil health in the field and laboratory. He uses specialized equipment to study soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics and the physical, chemical, and biological health of soil. He will also assist in purchasing for the lab, help in the field, and prepare reports and other documentation as needed.
Sundar Sapkota, Research ScientistDr. Sapkota has expertise in soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions. He coordinates statewide soil health and carbon management program. He has been involved in (1) Biochar impacts on sorghum and cotton-based cropping systems, (2) Greenhouse gas emissions and soil health in diverse land uses, and (3) carbon management outreach and communication activities.
Juan P. Frene, Postdoctoral Scholar
Juan has expertise in soil microbial ecology and microbial regulation of soil C and N cycling. He is evaluating soil health under cover crops and compost and biochar amendments.
Atinderpal Singh, Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Atinderpal Singh has expertise in soil health and water dynamics. His research will evaluate soil health dynamics and their relationship with ecosystem functions, specifically soil water conservation in agroecosystems.Dotun Arije, Ph.D. Student (2023-2026)
Dotun's research involves evaluating cropping systems and management impacts on soil C sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions using field-based experiments and biogeochemical process-based models. 
Hamza Badrari, Ph.D. Student (2024-2026)
Hamza studies the effects of cover crops, compost, and tillage on soil health and weed dynamics in semi-arid dryland and limited irrigation cropping systems.
Piumi Yaddehi, MS Student (2024-2025)
Piumi is interested in greenhouse gas emissions. Her research involves evaluating the effects of biochar on soil GHG emissions under field and laboratory conditions.
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Olufemi Adebayo, Ph.D. Student (2022-2025)
Olufemi Adebayo is interested in soil health and soil-plant water dynamics. His research project evaluates the effects of cover crops and compost on these in winter wheat-sorghum-fallow rotation.
Visiting Scholars
Recent graduates and postdocs
Pramod Acharya, MS, 2019, Ph.D. 2023, Postdoc 2023-2024 (Now Assistant Professor, University of Idaho)
Barsha Sharma, MS 2024 (now a lab technician in Phoenix, AZ)
Sundar Sapkota, Ph.D. 2024 (Now Research Scientist and Carbon Management Program coordinator, NMSU)
Anuoluwapo (Anu) Ogunleye, Postdoctoral Scholar, 2023 (Now Assistant Professor, Eastern New Mexico University)
Amrit Dhoj Adhikari, MS, 2023 (Now Lab Coordinator, cropping Systems and Soil Health lab, NMSU)
Wooiklee S. Paye, Postdoctoral Scholar, 2020 - 2022 (Now USDA, ARS Research Soil Scientist)
Sk. Musfiq-Us-Salehin, M.S. 2020 (Now, Ph.D. Student, TAMU)
Abdelaziz Nilahyane, Postdoctoral Scholar, 2018-2019 (Now Assistant Professor at UM6P, Morocco)
Vesh R. Thapa, M.S. 2018, Ph.D. 2021, Postdoc 2021-2022 (Now Postdoctoral Associate at UNL)
Mikayla J. Allan, M.S. 2018 (Now NRCS Soil Conservationist)
Binod Ghimire, M.S. 2017 (Now Ph.D. Student at the University of Illinois)
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Deb Raj Aryal, Ph.D., was a visiting scholar from Mexico National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). Jan - Dec 2023.
Babu Ram Khanal was a visiting scholar from Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal. Oct 2018 - Jan 2019.
Yaqiong Fan was a visiting scholar from China Agricultural University from September to October 2017.
