Research Teams
SMIL facilitates a global research consortium identified through a competitive grant process. We support the best primary investigators and teams to achieve our programmatic goals and development objectives.
Our global teams are led by principal investigators working in close cooperation with in-country research teams, private sector actors, farmers, farmer cooperatives, end users, and students to enhance research for development along the sorghum and millet value chains.
Principal Investigators
Dr. Joseph Awika
Texas A&M University
Professor and Head
Food Science and Technology
Phone: 979-845-2985
Email: awika@tamu.edu
https://foodscience.tamu.edu/people/awika-joseph
Food Science and Technology
Phone: 979-845-2985
Email: awika@tamu.edu
https://foodscience.tamu.edu/people/awika-joseph
Dr. Malick Ba
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
Principal Scientist
Niamey, Niger
Phone: +227 20722626
Email: B.Malick@cgiar.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/malick-ba-745b2ab5
Niamey, Niger
Phone: +227 20722626
Email: B.Malick@cgiar.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/malick-ba-745b2ab5
Dr. Edward Buckler
Cornell University
Adjunct Professor
School of Integrative Plant Science Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
Reseach Geneticist for USDA Agricultural Research Service
Phone: 607-255-1809
Email: esb33@cornell.edu
https://www.maizegenetics.net
School of Integrative Plant Science Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
Reseach Geneticist for USDA Agricultural Research Service
Phone: 607-255-1809
Email: esb33@cornell.edu
https://www.maizegenetics.net
Dr. Gebisa Ejeta
Purdue University
Distinguished Professor of Agronomy
2009 World Food Prize Laureate
Phone: 765-494-4320
Email: gejeta@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/department/agry/directory.html#/gejeta
2009 World Food Prize Laureate
Phone: 765-494-4320
Email: gejeta@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/department/agry/directory.html#/gejeta
Dr. Bruce Hamaker
Purdue University
Distinguished Professor of Food Science
Director of Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research
Phone: 765-494-5668
Email: hamakerb@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/foodsci/Pages/profile.aspx?strAlias=hamakerb&intDirDeptID=14
Director of Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research
Phone: 765-494-5668
Email: hamakerb@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/foodsci/Pages/profile.aspx?strAlias=hamakerb&intDirDeptID=14
Dr. Ludger Hermann
Universität Hohenheim
Professor
Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Chemistry and Pedology
Stuttgart, Germany
Email: ludger.herrmann@uni-hohenheim.de
https://seedball.uni-hohenheim.de
Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Soil Chemistry and Pedology
Stuttgart, Germany
Email: ludger.herrmann@uni-hohenheim.de
https://seedball.uni-hohenheim.de
Dr. Ndjido Kane
Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA)
Director
Centre d’Etudes Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse (CERAAS)
Thiès, Sénégal
Phone: +221 339514993
Email: ndjidokane@gmail.com
http://www.ceraas.org
Centre d’Etudes Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse (CERAAS)
Thiès, Sénégal
Phone: +221 339514993
Email: ndjidokane@gmail.com
http://www.ceraas.org
Dr. Clint Magill
Texas A&M University
Professor, Fungal Genetics and Host Resistance
Plant Pathology and Microbiology
Phone: 979-845-8250
Email: c-magill@tamu.edu
https://plantpathology.tamu.edu/people/magill-dr-clint-w
Plant Pathology and Microbiology
Phone: 979-845-8250
Email: c-magill@tamu.edu
https://plantpathology.tamu.edu/people/magill-dr-clint-w
Dr. Tesfaye Mengiste
Purdue University
Professor and Associate Department Head of Research
Botany and Plant Pathology
Phone: 765-494-0599
Email: tmengist@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/btny/Pages/Profile.aspx?strAlias=tmengist
Botany and Plant Pathology
Phone: 765-494-0599
Email: tmengist@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/btny/Pages/Profile.aspx?strAlias=tmengist
Dr. Geoffrey Morris
Colorado State University
Associate Professor of Crop Quantitative Genomics
Soil and Crop Sciences
Phone: 970-491-2102
Email: geoff.morris@colostate.edu
https://www.morrislab.org
Soil and Crop Sciences
Phone: 970-491-2102
Email: geoff.morris@colostate.edu
https://www.morrislab.org
Dr. Bonnie Pendleton
West Texas A&M University
Associate Professor of Integrated Pest Management
Entomology
Phone: 806-651-2554
Email: bpendleton@wtamu.edu
https://www.wtamu.edu/academics/college-agriculture-natural-sciences/department-agricultural-sciences/faculty/bonnie-pendleton-bio.html
Entomology
Phone: 806-651-2554
Email: bpendleton@wtamu.edu
https://www.wtamu.edu/academics/college-agriculture-natural-sciences/department-agricultural-sciences/faculty/bonnie-pendleton-bio.html
Dr. Gael Pressoir
Université Quisqueya
Dean for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Principal Scientist of Central American and Caribbean Crop Improvement Alliance (CACCIA)
Director of CHIBAS Foundation (Haitian Center for Innovation in Biotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture)
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Phone: +509 3702 4904
Email: gael.pressoir@uniq.edu
https://uniq.edu.ht/fsae/faculte-sciences-agriculture-environnement-en-bref
Principal Scientist of Central American and Caribbean Crop Improvement Alliance (CACCIA)
Director of CHIBAS Foundation (Haitian Center for Innovation in Biotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture)
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Phone: +509 3702 4904
Email: gael.pressoir@uniq.edu
https://uniq.edu.ht/fsae/faculte-sciences-agriculture-environnement-en-bref
Dr. Desalegn Serba
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Research Geneticist
USDA Agricultural Research Service
US Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center
Phone: 520-316-6368
Email: Des.Serba@usda.gov
https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/maricopa-arizona/us-arid-land-agricultural-research-center/water-management-and-conservation-research/people/des-serba
USDA Agricultural Research Service
US Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center
Phone: 520-316-6368
Email: Des.Serba@usda.gov
https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/maricopa-arizona/us-arid-land-agricultural-research-center/water-management-and-conservation-research/people/des-serba
Dr. Ousmane Sy
Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA)
Principal Scientist
Bambey, Senegal
Phone: +221 776528019
Email: oussousyso@yahoo.fr
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ousmane-sy-7422a0194
Bambey, Senegal
Phone: +221 776528019
Email: oussousyso@yahoo.fr
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ousmane-sy-7422a0194
Dr. Tesfaye Tesso
Kansas State University
Professor of Sorghum Breeding and Genetics
Agronomy
Phone: 785-532-7238
Email: ttesso@ksu.edu
https://www.agronomy.k-state.edu/people/faculty/tesso-tesfaye/index.html
Agronomy
Phone: 785-532-7238
Email: ttesso@ksu.edu
https://www.agronomy.k-state.edu/people/faculty/tesso-tesfaye/index.html
Dr. Mitch Tuinstra
Purdue University
Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics
Agronomy
Wickersham Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Research
Scientific Director for the Institute of Plant Sciences
Phone: 765-494-9093
Email: drmitch@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/agry/directory/Pages/mtuinstr.aspx
Agronomy
Wickersham Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Research
Scientific Director for the Institute of Plant Sciences
Phone: 765-494-9093
Email: drmitch@purdue.edu
https://ag.purdue.edu/agry/directory/Pages/mtuinstr.aspx