NASHVILLE (AP) — A researcher at Tennessee State University has received a national award for his work on water conservation.

Dr. Dilip Nandwani is associate professor of organic agriculture with the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences.

He received the individual Award of Excellence earlier this month during the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities' annual meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Nandwani served as the committee chair for the team studying how farmers can best use micro-irrigation systems to sustainably irrigate their land, especially during droughts and water shortages.

The five-year project included agricultural engineers, plant and soil scientists, and economists conducting a variety of studies and outreach efforts across the country.