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Professional Experience
Professional Experience
Agricultural Data Scientist
Agricultural Data Scientist
Colorado State University Agriculture Water Quality Program, 2021 - Present
Lead applied research in agricultural water quality and irrigation science, integrating field measurements, environmental monitoring, and advanced statistical modeling
Design and maintain reproducible data analysis pipelines in Python and R for large, multi-year soil, water, and runoff datasets
Develop and evaluate low-cost environmental sensing and monitoring systems to support scalable, field-deployable data collection
Apply Bayesian hierarchical models and machine-learning methods to quantify uncertainty, assess treatment effects, and support inference from noisy environmental data
Analyze historical and ongoing datasets to support peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and extension materials
Translate research findings into decision-relevant guidance for producers, conservation professionals, and water managers through extension and outreach activities
Contribute to competitive research funding efforts through proposal development, data synthesis, and technical justification
Perform outreach and education activities such as educational workshops, field days, informational material generation, and one-on-one producer meetings
Co-supervise and mentor 3–7 undergraduate and graduate students in data analysis, field methods, and reproducible research practices
Older Positions (Click to See)
Older Positions (Click to See)
Assistant Director
Assistant Director
Innovation Irrigation Consortium (IIC), 2019 - 2021
Advanced the Consortium’s mission to accelerate development and adoption of water- and energy-efficient irrigation technologies through coordinated public–private partnerships
Led applied research in irrigation science and technology for agricultural and commercial systems, supporting both field validation and technology demonstration
Assisted in business development and technical communications efforts, including cultivation of industry partnerships and acquisition of private donations and in-kind support
Served as Station Director for the Irrigation Innovation Consortium Headquarters research facility (Fort Collins, CO), with responsibility for site development and operations
Managed facility staffing, budgeting, and procurement, including hiring and supervision of labor, equipment acquisition, and infrastructure development
Oversaw crop system management, irrigation scheduling, and on-site research coordination to support partner demonstrations and collaborative studies
Coordinated industry, agency, and academic partner engagement through site tours, field days, and technical briefings
Graduate Research Assistant (M.Sc.) in Soil and Crop Sciences
Graduate Research Assistant (M.Sc.) in Soil and Crop Sciences
Colorado State University, 2016 - 2021
Recruited to help find and identify common agronomic and hydrologic issues in common with Colorado and Sindh province of Pakistan as it relates to soil salinity and irrigation practices.
Involved regular communication with Pakistani collaborators and travel to Mehran University of Engineering and Technology for extension and education.
Manager of 3 undergraduate students: Summer full time, school year part-time
Project goals included:
Developing an easy-to-use method of correcting for excess gypsum dissolution in the preparation of saturated paste extracts, which are commonly used in measuring soil salinity around the world.
Creating regional maps of yield losses associated with salinity using traditional and new techniques
CSU Writes Graduate Student Intern
CSU Writes Graduate Student Intern
Colorado State University, 2018-2019
CSU Writes supports CSU’s researchers as professional writers who are experts or becoming experts in their fields of study.
Recruited to work specifically with visiting engineering students from Pakistan on improving their writing and presentation skills via bi-weekly group writing sessions, ultimately helping them turn their writing into their thesis.
Agronomist/Field Representative Intern
Agronomist/Field Representative Intern
– Centennial Ag Supply, 2015
Internship to learn the agronomy consultant/salesman and commercial research industry
Learned crop scouting methods and techniques under a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA)
Performed corn variety, starter fertilizer, nitrate leeching, and rootworm research trials.
Used Massey Ferguson 4068 tractor to plant, band nitrogen fertilizer, and rototill for corn research.
Assisted in irrigation scheduling on an 125 acre corn research plot
Applied herbicide in 120 foot boom Case IH sprayer
Gained understanding of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nematicides and safety protocols with each for alfalfa, corn, and sugar beet crops
Research Assistant
Research Assistant
– Colorado State University Arkansas Valley Research Center, 2009 - 2014
Hired to assist in agricultural research for critical issues facing the CO Arkansas River Valley
Spectral data collection via multi-spectral radiometer (MSR5)
Measured corn and alfalfa growth characteristics for research purposes
Harvested alfalfa, wheat, sunflower, canola, camelina, and field corn for variety trial research
Harvested pepper, tomato, and melon variety trials
Executed siphon tube, gated pipe, and drip irrigation events on regular schedule
Performed maintenance on farm equipment (tractors, combines, mowers, etc…)
Heavy equipment experience (tractors, backhoes, etc…)
Certifications
Certifications
Technical Service Provider (TSP), TSP-25-50215 - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Certified Crop Advisor, ID 799703 - Agronomy Society of America
Commercial Drone Pilot, Cert. No. 4783364 - Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 107 SUAS Certified
APNGA Portable Nuclear Gauge Safety - U.S. D.O.T. Hazmat Certified (For Neutron Density Gauge Use)
Select Publications
Select Publications
Brown, Ansley J., Emmanuel Deleon, Erik Wardle, Jakob F. Ladow, and Allan A. Andales (2026). “Unveiling biases in water sampling: A Bayesian approach for precision in edge-of-field monitoring”. In: Journal of Environmental Quality 55.1, e70149. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70149
Deleon, E., Brown, A. J., Ladow, J., Wardle, E., & Bauder, T. (2025). Programmable automated low-cost IoT water sampler. HardwareX, 23, e00693. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2025.e00693
Bauder, T., Ippolito, J., Wardle, E., Brown, A., Welch, C., & Kramer, T. (2025). Best management practices for manure and wastewater utilization. Colorado State University Extension. Retrieved from https://agsci.colostate.edu/waterquality/wp-content/uploads/sites/160/2025/05/BMP-Manure-and-Wastewater-r8_AccessibleVersion.pdf
Trimarco, T., Harmel, D., Wardle, E., Buchanan, C., Brown, A., Deleon, E., & Ippolito, J. A. (2025). Connecting the soil health–water quality nexus under surface-irrigated conservation tillage. Journal of Environmental Quality. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70013
Brown, A. J., et al. (2024). Spatially refined salinity hazard analysis in gypsum-affected irrigated soils. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment, 7(3), e20539. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20539
Chávez, J. L., et al. (2024). Maize evapotranspiration estimates using Planet Dove mini-satellites and field-level infrared thermometers. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.15703
Costa-Filho, E., Chávez, J., Andales, A., & Brown, A. (2024). Improving WISE crop evapotranspiration estimates using crop coefficients derived from remote-sensing algorithms. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 150(5). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1061/JIDEDH.IRENG-10104
Brown, A., et al. (2023). Low-cost IoT water sampler. Zenodo. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10257622
Brown, A. (2023). Cropping systems management for climate resilience. Agriculture Water Quality Program factsheet. Retrieved from https://agsci.colostate.edu/waterquality/wp-content/uploads/sites/118/2023/06/CSU-Cropping-Guide-r3_Final.pdf
Havrilla, C. (2023). Grazing systems management for climate resilience. Agriculture Water Quality Program factsheet. Retrieved from https://agsci.colostate.edu/waterquality/wp-content/uploads/sites/118/2023/06/CSU-Drought-Guide-r4_Final.pdf
Costa-Filho, E., et al. (2022). Updating corn crop coefficients with remote sensing-based actual evapotranspiration algorithms. World Environmental & Water Resources Congress (EWRI-ASCE), June 5. Retrieved from https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/9780784484258.058
Brown, A., et al. (2020). Predicting crop yield losses due to soil-water salinity: A comparison of traditional and alternative approaches. Great Plains Soil Fertility Conference, March 10–11.
Brown, A., et al. (2019). Estimating impacts of salinity on irrigated crop production using electrical conductivity surveys and multi-level remote sensing. Colorado Water, March/April, Issue 2.
Select Funded Grants
Select Funded Grants
Current total value to date: $3,647,734
Wardle et al., 2025. Advancing sustainable water management in Colorado’s mountain agriculture with an innovative, community-driven approach. $1,177,874. Colorado Water Conservation Board Water Plan Grant. Co-Principal Investigator.
Wardle et al., 2025. Conservation Effects Assessment Program - Colorado South Platte Assessment. $293,577. USDA-NRCS. Co-Principal Investigator.
Wardle et al., 2024. Evaluating the impacts of agricultural Best Management Practices on water quality in the Colorado River Basin. $218,369. Colorado Ag Water Alliance. EPA 319 Funding. Co-Principal Investigator.
Wardle et al., 2024. Advancing Sensor Technology and Knowledge Transfer in Agriculture: Optimizing IoT Sensors for Sugar Beet Production. $17,303. Western Sugar Cooperative. Co-Principal Investigator.
Brown et al., 2023. Low-Cost IoT Technology for Runoff Water Quality Comparison with Traditional Methods. $48,125. Colorado Water Conservation Board Seed Research Program. Principal Investigator.
Wardle et al., 2023. Scalable Monitoring of Cercospora Leaf Spot and Temperature in Beet Storage Piles using Low-Cost, Internet of Things (IoT) Systems. $16,710. Western Sugar Cooperative. Co-Principal Investigator.
Kilic et al., 2022. Accelerating adoption of irrigation scheduling with satellite-based precision evapotranspiration from OpenET. $700,000. NASA Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES). Key Contributor.
Wardle et al., 2022. Establishing pollinator habitats in vegetative filter strips: a sustainable opportunity for Colorado corn farmers. $15,277. Colorado Corn Growers Association. Co-Principal Investigator.
Wardle et al., 2022. Scalable Monitoring of Sugar Beet Storage Piles with Low-Cost Internet of Things (IoT) Temperature Sensor and Comparison of Existing Sensors. $10,352. Western Sugar Cooperative. Co-Principal Investigator.
Welch et al., 2022. Stakeholder-driven Outreach to Enhance Agricultural Producers' Resilience to Drought and Climate Uncertainty. $31,385. CSU Competitive Grant Program Water Team Project. Co-Principal Investigator.
Andales et al., 2021. Developing irrigation infrastructure at CSU-ARDEC to support innovative research in irrigation efficiency, water use, and re-use. $588,246. Colorado Water Conservation Board Water Plan Grants. Key Contributor.
Andales et al., 2020. Improving irrigation efficiency through the development of the hydraulic infrastructure at Irrigation Innovation Consortium Headquarters. $314,769. Colorado Water Conservation Board Water Plan Grants. Key Contributor.
Brown, 2020. “Calling All Researchers!”. Proposal for crop health monitoring. Equipment donation. Arable Labs. Principal Investigator.
Chavez et al., 2019. Evaluating WISE Performance for Corn when Updated with Remote Sensing-based Actual Crop Coefficients: Full and Deficit Irrigation. $50,000. Irrigation Innovation Consortium. Co-Principal Investigator.
Teaching and Extension
Teaching and Extension
The most current events can be found on the research blog tab
Panelist at 2018 South Platte Forum
Speaker at the 2017 Independent Agricultural Consultants of Colorado conference
Speaker at 2017 Eastern Colorado Crop Production conference
2018 Irrigation of Field Crops instructor (SOCR 371)
Guest instructor in GIS Applications in Agriculture (SOCR 377)
Education
Education
Ph. D. Candidate, Soil and Crop Sciences
Colorado State University - Present
Master of Science, Soil and Crop Sciences
Colorado State University - 2021
Graduate Certificate in Data Analysis
Colorado State University - 2018
Bachelor of Soil and Crop Science
Colorado State University - 2015
Bachelor of Agricultural Business
Colorado State University - 2015
Associate of Arts
Otero Junior College - 2013
Other Experience
Other Experience
Check out my Research Projects page to learn more!
EM38-MK2 soil conductivity sensor operation for spatial mapping of soil properties (e.g. salinity, water, etc.)
Multi-Spectral Radiometer (MSR) operation for calculating crop health via spectral indicies (e.g. NDVI)
Campbell Scientific data logger and sensor setup and monitoring for soil and weather data networks
Irrigation systems design and operation scheduling (drip, sprinkler, and surface irrigation types)
General farm management practices (Equipment operation, chemical use and application, crop management)
Leadership and Fellowships
Leadership and Fellowships
Part of LAUNCHPAD’s Research to Market (R2M) program, Cohort 6
Participated in Innosphere Ventures business incubator program for SoilSignal
Graduate Student Panel Representative for Soil and Crop Sciences Department, 2018-2019
Colorado Water Institute – Completed “Students in Dialogue about Water” seminar series, 2015
CSU FarmHouse Fraternity Alumni Advisor, 2016 - 2019
Honors
Honors
Irrigation Association Scholarship Recipient - 2017
College of Agricultural Sciences Commencement Speaker - Fall 2015
Colorado Garden Foundation 4-year Scholarship Recipient - 2012
Daniels Scholarship Fund Recipient - 2012
Professional Activities
Professional Activities
Search Committee Chair for the Agricultural Water Quality Program (AWQP) Research Associate I position
Colorado Lysimeter Project Technical Advisory Committee Member
Completed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Foundations course for supervisors offered by CSU
Completed Mindset for Supervisors course for supervisors offered by CSU
Completed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Foundations course for supervisors offered by CSU
Search Committee Member for the Agricultural Water Quality Program (AWQP) Research Associate II position
Search Chair, and Search Committee Member training certified.
Search Committee Member for the Irrigation Innovation Consortium Executive Director
Tri-Societies (ASA, SSSA, CSSA) Member
Soil Water Conservation Society Member
Service
Service
Irrigation Association Ag Faculty Academy Committee Vice Chair
The committee is charged with coming up with content and sessions as well as identifying potential speakers for the annual Ag Faculty Academy, which is a teacher training event for high school, community college and university professors.
Panelist for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant.
Reviewer for Agricultural Water Management Journal
Panelist for Irrigation Innovation Consortium Request for Proposals
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