Dr. Sanku Dattamudi was born and grew up in west Bengal, India. He received his BS in agriculture (majoring in Soil Science and Biochemistry) from Visva Bharati University, West Bengal, India. Then he joined the Department of Soils of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) through ICAR – Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) program, where he received his MSc. in Soil Science in 2010. During his Master’s degree, he was invited to work as a visiting scholar at the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign (UIUC). He worked as a research fellow at PAU for a shorter period before he moved to the United States and joined Louisiana State University (LSU) – Agronomy Department for Soil Science Doctoral Program. Sanku received his PhD in Soil and Environmental Chemistry from LSU, Baton Rouge in 2016. His doctoral project was focused on different air quality issues (greenhouse gas, ammonia, and particulate matter emissions) from agricultural crop production in Louisiana.
Sanku joined Florida International University (FIU) in 2016 as a postdoctoral research scholar (Wetland Soil Ecologist) and enjoyed working in the Florida Everglades. In 2018, he moved to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) as a postdoctoral scientist and worked on soil management issues in corn-soybean crop production system. Eventually he moved back to FIU as a research scientist and worked on project related to agroecology and sustainable agriculture. He joined Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) as an assistant professor in 2023.
Sanku is passionate about soil science, agronomy, and environmental science research and teaching. He teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in soil science and agronomy. His research interest is broadly falling within the area of soil management and environmental quality with a specification in air quality issues during crop production. He published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented his research at a variety of professional meetings. As of 2022, he has acquired about $250,000 in research funding from Federal agencies as the lead PI. He is also serving as the editorial board member of two journals publish research articles in agriculture and environmental sciences. Sanku is an active member of Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), American Society of Agronomy (ASA), and Crop Science Society of America (CSSA). His wife, Saoli is also an agronomist (received her PhD from LSU as well) and they are recently blessed with their daughter Archisha (Ray of Light).
Degrees:
BS: Visva Bharati University, India
MS: Punjab Agricultural University, India
PhD: Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Teaching:
Spring 2023
PLSS 3410 – Principles of Soil Science (MWF, 9:00 to 9:50 am) Lecture
W (1:00 to 2:50 pm); W (3:00 to 4:50 pm); F (1:00 to 2:50 pm) Lab
