My Story
Research Interests:
My name is Jane Okalebo and I am a research assistant professor at the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Go Huskers!
My principle career objective is to contribute to sustainable environmental management.
I am interested in utilizing remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems - together with advanced technology - to address the climatic and environmental challenges of the 21st Century.
Profile:
During my undergraduate studies in agricultural engineering, my dissertation study involved sub-surface irrigation of French beans using saline water in a controlled environment. The sub-irrigation was conducted using porous pots of varied porosity and hydro-conductivity. In 1999, I completed a graduate degree in soil science at the University of Reading, UK. My dissertation topic examined hydrological properties of various porous pots, two different soils and their interactive effect on sub-surface soil wetting patterns.
My interests in natural resources - and especially water, light and nutrients - led me to yet more interesting research. In 2002, I was admitted at the University of Toronto, Canada and attained a master's degree in forestry. My research project was entitled "Utilizing Tabu Search, an optimization search algorithm for optimization of Grevillea robusta agroforestry systems." With the aid of a WaNuLCAS (Water, Nutrient, Light Capture in Agroforestry Systems) simulation model, and the Tabu Search algorithm (implemented using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0), decisions about tree spacing and duration of tree growth were recommended for maximized agroforestry management for specified locations in Kenya, Africa.
I joined the University of Nebraska- Lincoln in 2005 where I studied competition between weeds and crops. I worked on Fusarium lateritium and its contribution to biological soil suppressiveness of a soil in eastern Nebraska to velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti).
Hobbies: networking, volunteering at the local public schools, cooking, singing and reading.