PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Manoj Karkee

Manoj Karkee is an agricultural engineer whose work applies AI, automation and robotics to farming. Originally from Nepal, he worked on farms as a child, earned degrees in computer engineering and remote sensing in Asia, and completed a PhD at Iowa State in 2009. He joined Washington State University in 2010, coauthored research on robotic apple harvesting and pollination, and received a 2019 Pioneer in AI and IoT recognition and ASABE's 2020 Rain Bird Engineering Concept of the Year Award. As of October 2026, he is Cornell's Norman R. and Sharon R. Scott Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences and leads an orchard robotics project.

Timeline

  1. By 2009

    Education from Nepal to Iowa

    Originally from Nepal, he works on farms as a child and learns about automation in college. At Tribhuvan University, he earns an associate degree in civil engineering and an undergraduate degree in computer engineering, then a graduate degree in remote sensing and GIS at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. At Iowa State University, he completes a PhD in agricultural engineering and human-computer interaction in 2009.

  2. 2010

    Joining Washington State

    In 2010, he joins Washington State University and leads a research program there.

  3. 2016

    Robotic apple harvesting

    In 2016, he coauthors a study of robotic apple harvesting. It combines a global vision system, robotic arm and end-effector, then tests them in a lab and a commercial orchard.

  4. 2017–2020

    An IFAC chair and two honors

    He chairs the International Federation of Automatic Control's Technical Committee 8.1 on Control in Agriculture from 2017 to 2020. Connected World recognizes him as a 2019 Pioneer in artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. ASABE awards him the 2020 Rain Bird Engineering Concept of the Year Award.

  5. 2023

    Robotic pollination in orchards

    In 2023, he coauthors Robotic Pollination of Apples in Commercial Orchards. The system detects 91% of available flowers and pollinates 84% of target flowers with a 4.8-second cycle time.

  6. April 2025

    AI and robotics at Cornell

    By April 2025, his academic focus at Cornell is artificial intelligence, automation and robotics in agriculture.

  7. As of October 2026

    Leading Cornell orchard robotics

    As of October 2026, he is the Norman R. and Sharon R. Scott Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Cornell's Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering and leads an orchard robotics project with co-director Matthew Whiting. The project will establish the Center of Excellence for Orchard Robotics.

Career

  1. NowCornell UniversityNorman R. and Sharon R. Scott Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  2. NowCornell UniversityLead, orchard robotics project
  3. From 2010Washington State UniversityResearch program lead

Education

  1. 2009Iowa State UniversityPhD in Agricultural Engineering and Human-Computer Interaction
  2. 2002Tribhuvan UniversityBachelor's degree in Computer Engineering
  3. Tribhuvan UniversityAssociate degree in Civil Engineering
  4. Asian Institute of TechnologyMaster's degree in Remote Sensing and GIS

From the biography.

Checked career sources: news.cahnrs.wsu.edu, labs.wsu.edu, cals.cornell.edu, news.cornell.edu.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Manoj Karkee yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Pioneering WSU scientist recognized for innovation in AI, ‘Internet of Things’ | CAHNRS News news.cahnrs.wsu.edu. Checked 27 October 2026.
  2. Manoj Karkee | Washington State University labs.wsu.edu. Checked 27 October 2026.
  3. Meet our faculty: Manoj Karkee | CALS cals.cornell.edu. Checked 27 October 2026.
  4. Effort towards robotic apple harvesting in Washington State publications.ri.cmu.edu. Checked 27 October 2026.
  5. About the Candidates | Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources ianr.unl.edu. Checked 27 October 2026.
  6. Robotic Pollination of Apples in Commercial Orchards arxiv.org. Checked 27 October 2026.
  7. Cornell leads project putting robots to work in US orchards | Cornell Chronicle news.cornell.edu. Checked 27 October 2026.