Dr. Sushil Thapa
Assistant Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences (Agricultural Water Management)
Office: Happy State Bank Academic and Research Building, Room 354
Email: sthapa@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-2719
Professional Profile
Dr. Thapa joined the Department of Agricultural Sciences in 2025. He earned a Ph.D. in Systems Agriculture from West Texas A&M University (WT), an M.S. in Agroecology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and a B.S. (Hons) in Agriculture from Purbanchal University in Nepal. While at WT, he was selected as a Future Leaders Fellow (FLF) by the Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD) in Washington, D.C. He also completed specialized programs in Dryland Agriculture at Hebei Agricultural University in China and in Precision Agriculture through Purdue University in Indiana. Before returning to WT, Dr. Thapa served as an Agronomy faculty member (tenured) at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) and as a Postdoctoral Researcher with Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Amarillo, Texas. His career is marked by excellence in teaching, research, service, and student mentoring, with multiple awards in each category.
Teaching and Related Service
Dr. Thapa has taught over 15 university-level courses, including his current courses AGRI 6312 Research Methods and Data Interpretation in Agriculture and PSES 5321/4321 Grain, Fiber, and Oilseed Crops.
He serves as Reviewing Editor for the Journal of Crop Improvement, Editor for the Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Guest Editor for Agronomy, and Guest Advisor for Carbon Management.
Dr. Thapa is an active member of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), and the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS). He is the Leader of the Global Climate Change Community within the ASA for 2025, having previously served as Vice-Leader in 2024.
Research and Creative Activity
Dr. Thapa has contributed to numerous publications, including more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters as first author, with a primary focus on the sustainability of semi-arid/dryland agriculture. His research centers on integrated crop management in water-limited environments, emphasizing soil–plant–water–environment interactions, water use efficiency, precision agriculture, soil health, and the management of (a)biotic stresses in field and forage crops.