Andrew Chesang (middle) has installed weather sensing units abroad in Nigeria and Kenya.
Andrew Chesang is a doctoral student in the Department of Biosystems & Agriculture Engineering. He joined the WaterCube NRT Fellowship Program in 2024, following encouragement from his advisor, Assistant Professor Daniel Uyeh.
Using robots, 3D imaging, and in-field sensors, Andrew is developing a decision support system to help farmers manage their apple orchards throughout the year. “We want to give farmers tools and methods that can help them decide what to do in their orchards at different times of the year to get the best harvest,” he said.
In Michigan, more than 1.2 billion pounds of apples were produced in 2024, making it the third-largest apple-producing state in the country. These orchards often face challenges of labor shortages, weather variability, and pest control, making efficient, technology-driven decision support essential for maintaining yields and profitability.
Andrew attends the Climate Resilience Symposium in Nigeria.
During the summer of 2025, Andrew contributed to two main projects that engaged different aspects of field data and technology. One involved installing weather sensing units abroad in Nigeria and Kenya, which gave him hands-on experience using sensor networks in agricultural settings. The other focused on a teleoperation system for apple orchards. This system streams a 3D scan of an orchard to a virtual reality headset, allowing farmers to assess their trees remotely.
Andrew's research takes a slightly different approach than other WaterCube trainees, but the program has given him opportunities to explore the connections between his work and broader social and data science questions. A class in the spring 2025 semester inspired him to consider how video games and virtual reality can be used to study social behaviors, including farmers’ adaptation to climate change. “That topic at least captured the social science bit, and it was a good way to think beyond my usual boundaries,” he said.
In late 2025, Andrew presented at the Great Lakes Fruit Workers Annual Conference and the Great Lakes Expo.
His work exemplifies the interdisciplinary innovation that the WaterCube NRT Fellowship Program encourages, combining advanced technology, agricultural science, and a creative approach to problem-solving.