Engineered Nanomaterials for Agricultural Sustainability

Dr. Sanghamitra Majumdar is a visiting scientist, NCTR Nanotechnology Core facility. She earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Texas at El Paso, where she worked on the toxicological implications and in situ detection of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) in edible plants, and their trophic transfer in terrestrial environment. Dr. Majumdar’s primary research interest lies in exploring the scope and challenges towards the safe and sustainable use of ENMs in medicine, food and agriculture industries. She serves as a member on the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee E56 on Nanotechnology and has co-authored over research articles and reviews, and has delivered over presentations in national and international scientific meetings. She has served as the guest editor for a special issue for the journal Agronomy and serves as a reviewer for more than 10 scientific journals. Dr. Jose R. Peralta-Videa was an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Environmental Science and Engineering PhD program at the University of Texas at El Paso until February 2023. He earned a Doctor of Science degree from the Genetic Center in the Postgraduate College at Chapingo, Mexico, 1986 and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering from The University of Texas at El Paso in 2002. His research is focused on the area of nanotoxicology, with an emphasis on the toxicity of nanoparticles in terrestrial systems. He has published more than 220 referred articles, 25 book chapters, 19 proceedings, and 4 manuals/booklets. As Senior Research Associate of Dr. Gardea-Torresdey, former Chair of the Chemistry Department, Dr. Peralta-Videa was an active member of the University of California Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (UC CEIN). UTEP was the branch of UC CEIN responsible for investigating the interaction of nanoparticles with terrestrial plants.

• 1. Role of nanotechnology toward sustainable and resilient agrifood systems2. Characterization and transformations of nanomaterials for agricultural applications3. Methods for detection and characterization of engineered nanoparticles in plants4. Nanofertilizers for smart delivery and nutrient regulation5. Nanopesticides for biotic stress6. Application of nanomaterials in nutrient management, pollutant remediation, and sensing in soil7. Emerging nanosensors for monitoring plant growth parameters and productivity8. Engineered nanomaterials enhancing plant responses to abiotic stresses9. Tools for detecting nano-induced biological responses and mechanisms in plants10. Nanocarrier delivery systems for agrochemicals11. Fate, chemical interactions, and reactive transport of nano-based agrochemicals12. Societal implications: responsible introduction and use of nanotechnology in agriculture