August 2024 – Present · Expected completion May 2030
PhD, Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA · Concentration: Soil Physics and Remote Sensing
PhD Student & Research Assistant
- Louisiana State University
- Soil Physics|Hydrology|Remote Sensing|Environmental Data Analysis
- FAdekilae@agcenter.lsu.edu
- Google Scholar
- ORCID
I am a PhD student and research assistant in the Soil Hydrology and Remote Sensing (SHaRE) Lab, School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences (SPESS) at Louisiana State University.
My research focuses on soil moisture dynamics, particularly the relationship between near-surface observations and rootzone soil water storage. I combine field measurements, satellite remote sensing, and computational methods to improve drought monitoring and support agricultural decision-making.
Education
Completed July 2024 · Distinction
International MSc in Soils and Global Change (Erasmus Mundus)
Ghent University, Belgium, and Aarhus University, Denmark · Specialization: Physical Land Resources and Global Change
Completed September 2021 · First Class Honours
BSc, Natural Resources Management
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana · Specialization: Silviculture and Forest Management
Research Interests
Surface–Rootzone Connectivity
How near-surface soil moisture observations relate to deeper soil water storage, and how long soils retain the signal of wet and dry periods.
Satellite Remote Sensing
Combining satellite soil moisture and thermal observations with ground measurements for hydrologic applications.
Drought & Precision Agriculture
Developing interpretable soil moisture indicators to support drought monitoring and agricultural decisions.
Machine Learning for Soil Properties
Evaluating how machine learning can predict soil hydraulic properties, and where data limitations, spatial scale, and transferability constrain it.
Evapotranspiration & Land–Atmosphere Interactions
Using surface and air temperature patterns to estimate daily evapotranspiration across different climate regimes.
Environmental Monitoring Networks
Designing and deploying soil, vegetation, and weather sensor networks that deliver quality-controlled, near-real-time data.
Publications
2026 · Peer-reviewed article
Pseudo-diffusivity characteristic curves for surface–rootzone soil hydrologic connectivity
Vadose Zone Journal · doi:10.1002/vzj2.70084
Additional publications will be added as they become available.
Conference Presentations
December 2025 · New Orleans, Louisiana · Poster
Modeling rootzone moisture dynamics from surface observations using pseudo-diffusivity
Adekilae, F. A., & Sehgal, V. · American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting
November 2025 · Salt Lake City, Utah · Short oral presentation and poster
Influence of soil and climate on surface–rootzone hydrologic connectivity
Adekilae, F. A., & Sehgal, V. · CANVAS 2025 (ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meeting)
August 2025 · Fukushima, Japan · Flash oral presentation and poster
Enhancing rootzone soil moisture dynamics estimation with a state-based low-pass filter
Adekilae, F. A., & Sehgal, V. · 2025 Kirkham Conference
June 2025 · Fort Collins, Colorado · Oral presentation
Enhancing rootzone soil moisture dynamics estimation with a state-based model
Adekilae, F. A., & Sehgal, V. · 2025 National Soil Moisture Workshop, Colorado State University · Watch the recording
Awards & Honors
2026
Bayer Fellow
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA). Competitive fellowship selected from more than 175 graduate student and postdoctoral applicants, including Bayer mentorship, leadership development, CANVAS participation, and $1,000 in travel support.
2025
Kirkham Conference Travel Grant
Agronomic Science Foundation. Competitive $2,500 travel grant through the Kirkham Fund and Van der Ploeg Fund to attend and present research at the 2025 Kirkham Conference in Fukushima, Japan.
2022–2024
Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Scholarship
European Union. Fully funded €49,000 scholarship covering tuition, insurance, international travel, installation costs, and monthly subsistence for the International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change.
2017–2021
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Scholarship
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. Fully funded four-year undergraduate scholarship covering tuition, accommodation, academic resources, leadership development, and living expenses.
Research & Field Experience
August 2024 – Present · Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Graduate Research Assistant, SHaRE Lab
Louisiana State University. Develop physics-based models of rootzone soil moisture, analyze large satellite and climate datasets, and help build and deploy LaCADIAN, a statewide climate and digital agriculture monitoring network. Explore LaCADIAN data (interactive map and downloads)
February – August 2022 · Ghana
Field Assistant, EU-funded ReDIAL Project
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Led farmer training on sustainable fertilization and conservation agriculture, coordinated soil sampling and field data collection, and supported climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land management with farming communities.
March – May 2022 · Remote
Remote Conservation Extern
National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy. Researched marine conservation challenges and community impacts, engaged community leaders and conservation practitioners, conducted a landscape and gap analysis, and developed a community-focused conservation proposal. View my StoryMap: The Story of the Hammerhead Shark Fishery in Ghana
Service & Leadership
2025–2026
Scientific peer review
Reviewer for international journals and conferences in soil science, hydrology, and remote sensing.
December 2025 · New Orleans
AGU Fall Meeting workshop
Co-organizer and instructor, Large-Scale Geospatial Data Analysis and Visualization in R. Course materials
August 2025 · J-Village, Fukushima, Japan
2025 Kirkham Conference
Session co-organizer, Rapid Poster Presentations Session #3.
Louisiana State University
SPESS Graduate Student Association
Vice President (September 2026–present); Treasurer (October 2025–September 2026).
Community Engagement
September 2018 – Present · Natugnia, Ghana
Team Leader, Campaign Against Child Marriage
Lead annual community education and awareness initiatives on child marriage and its social and educational impacts; mentor youth on academic achievement and personal development; coordinate community stakeholders and volunteers; and lead fundraising for outreach, student recognition, and educational initiatives.
April – December 2020 · Natugnia, Ghana
Community COVID-19 Sensitization Team Leader
Led community COVID-19 awareness and public-health education in the local language and coordinated communication of safety practices.
Skills & Tools
Programming & Analysis
Soil & Hydrologic Modeling
Geospatial & Remote Sensing
Environmental Data
Field & Laboratory
Communication
Professional Memberships
- American Geophysical Union (AGU), Student Member · 2025–Present
- American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Graduate Student Member · 2024–Present
- Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Graduate Student Member · 2024–Present
- Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), Graduate Student Member · 2024–Present
Gallery
Contact
School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Email: FAdekilae@agcenter.lsu.edu