Professor Dr. Dimitrios S. Paraforos has received the transfer professorship of the State of Hesse for Agricultural Engineering in Special Crop Cultivation at Hochschule Geisenheim University. The production of specialty agricultural crops such as grapes needs to be adapted in the face of climate change. In dialog with wineries, the professorship aims to advance research into more environmentally friendly cultivation methods, increased automation, and new data collection and analysis tools for vineyards.
“The use of modern technology, including such things as drones and using artificial intelligence to automate monitoring and analyses, is an important field for the future of agriculture and, in particular, viticulture. Our focus is on the transfer of new technologies from science to practice. For example, we are working on the development of a concept for a digital vineyard to optimize cultivation. This funding will help us significantly in this endeavor," says Dr. Dimitrios S. Paraforos of the Department of Agricultural Engineering at Hochschule Geisenheim University.
“The funding of the work of Professor Paraforos and his department underlines the significance of using modern technology in an agricultural context, especially at a time when the industry is experiencing problems relating to recruitment. It is already making a major contribution to improving efficiency and finding solutions to major challenges such as climate change,” adds Professor Hans Reiner Schultz, President of Hochschule Geisenheim University.
One of Four New LOEWE Transfer Professorships
The funding for the professorship in Geisenheim is one of four new LOEWE transfer professorships through which the state of Hesse intends to further accelerate the exchange between research and practice. The three other professorships were awarded to Dr. Matthias Weigold (Technical University of Darmstadt) for climate-neutral production, Dr. Sangam Chatterjee (Justus Liebig University Giessen) for high-tech materials, and Dr. Boris Keil (Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen) for his research into brainmapping technology.
The funding amount per application is up to one million euros over five years; the universities also support the projects with their own contributions. A special feature of the program is that the funding can be used very flexibly, allowing them to set up research teams, obtain technical and spatial facilities, and engage transfer managers to intensify and professionalize the exchange with partners.
The professorships were advertised in an open-topic pilot project. The successful applications are dedicated to climate-neutral production, agriculture in a changing climate, the further development of magnetic resonance imaging and the use of electrical energy in mobility as well as cooling and heating.
The professorships were advertised in an open-topic pilot project. The successful applications are dedicated to climate-neutral production, agriculture in a changing climate, the further development of magnetic resonance imaging, and the use of electrical energy in mobility, cooling, and heating.
Professor Paraforos's Career and Inaugural Lecture
Dr. Dimitrios S. Paraforos has been Professor of Agricultural Engineering in Special Crop Cultivation at Hochschule Geisenheim University since April 2023. He has been involved in more than 20 European and national research projects in the field of agricultural digitalization and the transfer of technology. He is currently the coordinator of two BMEL-funded projects, DIWAKOPTER and Oenotrace, which focus on the implementation and traceability of sustainable cultivation practices in specialty crops. His research interests include the automation of agricultural machinery, unmanned ground and air vehicles, as well as decentralized and resilient digital farming systems.
If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Paraforos's research, you are invited to attend his inaugural lecture, which will take place on April 24, 2024, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in the Gerd-Erbslöh Lecture Hall at Hochschule Geisenheim University. Online participation is also possible via the following link: https://vc-green.hs-gm.de/b/har-cr8-mjy-11y
Further Information
Press Release from the Hessian Ministry for Science and the Arts: March 26, 2024 (German)
Hessen Schafft Wissen Video Interview with Professor Paraforos: February 22, 2024 (German)
