Dr. Suresh Raja Neethirajan

Education:
PhD - University of Manitoba, 2009 

Bio:
Prior to his tenure at Dalhousie, Dr. Neethirajan held significant roles at Wageningen University and Research, where he served as an Associate Professor, and at the University of Guelph in Canada, where he worked for eight years. He also has experience as a Research Engineer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA and the National Agricultural Research Organization in Tsukuba, Japan.

Dr. Neethirajan's research is at the cutting edge of the digitalization of livestock farming. He is dedicated to developing sensor technologies and artificial intelligence-based solutions aimed at enhancing animal welfare and livestock health, and improving sustainable animal production systems. His work is characterized by a forward-thinking approach that seeks to leverage digital tools to optimize animal health and productivity, thereby promoting precision livestock farming.

His team's past research accomplishments are testament to his innovative approach. They have developed a facial coding platform for measuring emotions in cows and pigs, on-farm sensing platforms for rapid detection of avian influenza and poultry coronaviruses, and a hand-held rapid sensor system for identifying allergens in food samples. They have also developed a cow-side detection test for ketosis and metabolic disease disorders. Furthermore, his team has made significant strides in digital livestock farming, developing facial recognition systems for detecting emotions in cows and pigs, and artificial intelligence-based platforms for measuring behaviors and welfare indicators in cows, pigs, and chickens.

As a University Research Chair at Dalhousie University, Dr. Neethirajan leads pioneering research that seeks to address pressing challenges in the field of Digital Livestock Farming. His dedication to his field, combined with his innovative research, continues to make a significant impact on both academia and the broader agricultural industrial sector. His work stands as a testament to the transformative potential of digital tools in promoting sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.