Indian-origin soil scientist Sandeep Kumar has been selected as chair of Texas Tech University’s Department of Plant and Soil Science. His appointment began Sept. 1 following a national search.

Kumar joined Texas Tech from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, where he served as national program leader in the Institute of Bioenergy, Climate and Environment.

In that federal role, he helped oversee research investments focused on improving soil health, reducing agricultural emissions and strengthening the resilience of American farming systems. His experience connects laboratory research, university education, federal policy and the practical needs of farmers.

At Texas Tech, Kumar will lead one of the university’s most research-intensive departments. Its programs cover plant genetics, crop breeding, soil science, horticulture, water management, viticulture and fiber science while serving approximately 330 undergraduate and graduate students.

His research examines how conservation practices such as no-till production, cover crops, livestock integration and diversified crop rotations affect soil carbon, greenhouse-gas emissions, water quality and long-term agricultural productivity.

Kumar has also used X-ray computed tomography to study underground soil structures and track how water, nutrients and contaminants move through agricultural landscapes. That work supports decisions about conservation and land management.

Before joining the USDA in 2021, Kumar spent nearly a decade on the faculty at South Dakota State University. He previously worked as a research scientist and postdoctoral researcher at The Ohio State University.

Born in India, Kumar earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agriculture and soil science from Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University. He later completed a doctorate in soils at the University of Missouri and a graduate certificate in geographic information systems.

He was elected a fellow of both the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy in 2025. His honors also include USDA-NIFA Achievement Awards and South Dakota State University’s Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award.

As department chair, Kumar will work to expand interdisciplinary research, industry partnerships and student opportunities while supporting agricultural innovation across the Southern High Plains and beyond.

Key Takeaways About Sandeep Kumar

• He is chair of Texas Tech’s Department of Plant and Soil Science.
• He previously served as a USDA-NIFA national program leader.
• His research focuses on soil health and sustainable agriculture.
• He was elected a fellow of two national scientific societies.
• He earned his doctorate from the University of Missouri.