November 20, 2025
Chairs
Doug Hayes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
Biography: Dr. Hayes research program focuses upon two areas. First, we are researching the sustainable use of plastics in agriculture. Specifically, we are investigating the use of biodegradable plastics as mulch films for vegetable production and their long-term impact on agricultural ecosystems, including the fate and transport of micro- and nanoplastics. Second, we are studying the use of surfactant self-assembly systems, particularly microemulsions, for drug delivery and for separation and purification. Both research areas involve the use of small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering.
Email: dyahes1@tennessee.edu
Satish Samiappan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
Biography: Dr. Sathishkumar (Sathish) Samiappan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Mississippi State University, where he also held positions as an Associate Research Professor, Assistant Research Professor, and Postdoctoral Associate at the Geosystems Research Institute between 2014 and 2024. His research interests include the application of remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to various fields such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, and wildlife management.
Email: sathish@utk.edu