Christopher Neale

Christopher Neale’s research interest lies in developing remote sensing applications for irrigated agriculture, hydrology and natural resources monitoring. He developed a low-cost airborne remote sensing system used in the western U.S. to map spatially distributed energy balance and evapotranspiration of riparian and agricultural vegetation. His most recent international projects were in the Dominican Republic, where he used aerial photography and remote sensing to map and monitor irrigated agriculture and developed a comprehensive database of irrigation water users in a GIS environment.

Neale joined the University of Nebraska in 2013 and oversees the Water for Food Institute’s research efforts, engaging faculty in new projects and initiating partnerships with organizations and universities worldwide.

Previously, Neale was a professor of irrigation engineering at Utah State University, where he led efforts in remote sensing and agricultural water resources management since 1988.

He is president of the international Commission on Remote Sensing of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences and has an extensive background in water research and management projects in the western U.S., Africa, South America and the Caribbean. He holds a doctorate in agricultural engineering from Colorado State University.