By Lon Tegels
College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources
The University of Arkansas at Monticello
Arkansas Forest Resources Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts
- Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis Instructor Hired
- Zurquani to teach and research forests and soils.
- Chose US Education over the United Kingdom
A new UAM faculty member is roaming the halls; Dr. Hamdi Zurqani started his duties as an assistant professor on July 1. He will teach remote sensing and geospatial analysis for the College of Forestry, Agriculture Natural Resources. In addition to his teaching schedule, much of his work will be providing research for the University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Arkansas Forest Resources Center, the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
Zurqani is from Libya, in the middle of North Africa, besides Egypt and Tunisia. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in 2007 and 2010, respectively, at the University of Tripoli in Libya. His masters’ thesis was on Soil and Water Sciences/Pedology (Soil). His undergraduate major was Soil, Water and Science. Despite having the chance to study for a Ph.D. in the United Kingdom, Zurqani’s parents encouraged him to go to the United States. At that point, he made a career pivot to study at Clemson University. Dr. Zurqani received his Ph.D. in Forest Resources there in 2019, specializing in Environmental Information Sciences and Pedology.
Dr. Zurqani is recognized for his work in remote sensing, geospatial analysis and soil science. Zurqani is the author and co-author of many peer-reviewed publications and technical publications. Zurqani says his research focuses on developing applications for new technologies in environmental information sciences (e.g., remote sensing, land evaluation, soil genesis and classification, land use management, monitoring, change detection of landscape degradation, and geographic information system models). “I look forward to my new position as an assistant professor at the UAM, and I am very excited for the upcoming school year,” he says.
Zurqani married his wife, Nasrin, in 2012. They have three children: two girls, Yara, age 8 and Sama, age 6. His son, Abdu, is 5 years old. The Zurqani family arrived from South Carolina in June. A condition of the children agreeing to come to Arkansas was for the family to get a pet. The first night, the new kitten named Lolly arrived at the Zurqani household.
For more information about Zurqani, you can go to his webpage at https://www.zurqani.page/:
About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center
The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, brings together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offer all of their programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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