Behnaz Molaei, Ph.D. 

    Education:

• Ph.D. (2022) Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Washington State University, USA (Advisor: Dr. R. Troy Peters, PE)

Thesis: UAS-Based Remote Sensing Techniques for Detecting Evapotranspiration, and the Effects of LEPA/LESA and MESA Sprinkler Configurations for Precision Irrigation Management

• M.Sc. (2013) Agricultural Engineering, Irrigation & Drainage Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran 

• B.Sc. (2009) Water Engineering, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran  

    Professional Experiences:

• 05/2023-Present Assistant Professor, and Extension Irrigation Engineering Specialist, Department of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, USA        

• 09/2022-04/2023 Postdoctoral Research Associate, AgAID AI Institute, Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Washington State University, Prosser, WA, USA 

• 01/2019-08/2022, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Biological System Engineering, Washington State University, Prosser, WA, USA 

• 02/2017-12/2018, Research Assistant, Visiting Scholar, Department of Biological System Engineering, Washington State University, Prosser, WA, USA 

• 05/2013-02/2017, Entrepreneur, Co-Founder and Manager, Molaei Tissue Culture Techniques Laboratory and Commercial Greenhouse Crop Propagation in Molaei Agro-Industry Cooperation, Shahreza, Isfahan, Iran 

    Elected Leadership Roles in Professional Society

• 2025-2027, Chair of NRES-241 Sprinkler Irrigation, ASABE 

• 2025-2027, Vice Chair of NRES-07 Nomenclature and Standardized Terminology, ASABE 

• 2023-2025, Vice Chair of NRES-241 Sprinkler Irrigation, ASABE 

• 2019-2023, Secretary of NRES-241 Sprinkler Irrigation, ASABE 

    Professional Membership

• 2016- Present, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (10 Years)

• 2019- Present, Irrigation Association (7 Years) 

• 2024- Present, American Society of Agronomy (ASA), 2 years 

• 2023-Present, Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists (TAAA&S)

   Awards and Recognitions

• 2024, National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA), Communication award, Computer-generated presentation, Southern Regional Finalist

• 2024, Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists (TAAA&S), Communication award, Computer-generated presentation, First place

• 2022, Best oral presentation within the Machinery Systems Technical Community at the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Houston, Texas, 2022, Award: $250

• 2022, Graduate Student Leadership Award, College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, Washington State University, Awarded Scholarship: $1000

• 2022, The Karen DePauw Leadership Award, awarded by two different organizations: the Association for Faculty Women (AFW) and the Graduate School at Washington State University, Awarded Scholarship: $1000

• 2022, College Representative of the Year, Awarded by Graduate and Professional Students Association of Washington State University, Awarded Scholarship: $500

• 2022, Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Washington State University, Arnie & Marta Kegel Fellowship ($600 scholarship), Walter and Vinnie Hinz Endowed Scholarship ($300 scholarship)

• 2021, Irrigation E3 Program Travel Award to Attend the Irrigation Show and Education Week, IA-ASABE 6th Decennial National Irrigation Symposium, San Diego, California, December 6-10 

• 2020, Honorable Mention Group (Smart CougChard), WSU Digital Agathon 2020, organized by Microsoft and Washington State University