career connection
agriculture
Agriculture Sciences
and Plant Studies
Inocent Ritte, a doctoral candidate at Tuskegee
University, was motivated to study agriculture
because of his family back home in Tanzania.
“The motive for my matriculation in the field of agriculture
started with my parents, who are farmers and instilled in me,
since my childhood, the love of farming,” said Inocent. “I was
born and raised in rural Tanzania, where farming is a major
source of income. The interest I had developed from home,
sparked my involvement with school gardening projects in grade
school, where I was able to understand agriculture as a science.”
Inocent enrolled in Sokoine Agricultural University and received
a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture to fulfill his dream.
Inocent continued to express his plans, “As I matured in my
academic education, my passion for agriculture continued to
grow as well. This led towards envisioning a career as an
agricultural expert and a leader, and enrolling in the University
back at home in Tanzania. I successfully graduated with a
bachelor’s degree in Horticulture.”
Knowing that agricultural issues are daunting and require
more knowledge to solve these problems at a higher level, he
embarked on other avenues to further scientific and research
education.
“I was privileged to receive a competitive USAID-iAGRI
scholarship and enrollment at Tuskegee University under the
tutelage of Dr. Marceline Egnin,” Inocent stated. “Through her
mentorship, I have continuously broadened my understanding
of modern agricultural sciences and gained new knowledge and
skills.”
Dr. Marceline Egnin is a research member for the College of
Doctorate Studies in Agricultural and Environmental Science.
The new knowledge Inocent has gained through this program
is in cutting-edge technologies such as plant biotechnologies,
which are critical in modern agricultural research, in which he
continued to say have contributed to his quest to become an
agricultural scientist.
28
| Spring 2020
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program in Agricultural
and Environmental Science Engineering is an interdisciplinary
program that leverages faculty expertise, resources, and academic
strengths of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutri-
tion Sciences and the College of Engineering. The program offers
a wide variety of opportunities and integration at the interface of
agriculture, environmental sciences, and engineering in addressing
national and global agricultural and environmental challenges of
the 21st century. Students in this program may select from one
of three thrust areas of specialization: (1) Environmental and
Natural Resource Sciences Engineering, which addresses climate
change, impact assessments, and adaptation solutions, and
prepares engineers to design and develop technologies that protect
our natural resources through sustainable agricultural practic-
es; (2) Renewable Energy, Bioenergy, and Biomass Conversion,
which addresses issues required for the development and analysis
of renewable energy processes and bioenergy alternatives from
sustainable agricultural and natural resources; and Food Science
and Food Processing, which focuses on the design of innovative
products, equipment and systems for food safety and processing,
preservation, handling, and packaging.
For more information on the programs at
Tuskegee University visit the website at
www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/colleges-
schools/caens/daes/graduate-programs
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