Virginia Tech Tidewater AREC

During a recent AgriCode Camp at the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center, Abhilash Chandel, an extension specialist and assistant professor of precision agriculture and data management, demonstrated how drone technology and data are used for crop development monitoring, plant disease management, fertilization, and water management. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/AgriCodeCamp

Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Tech Biological Systems Engineering

Some scenes from yesterday’s wheat harvest at Tidewater AREC (June 15) with Farm Manager Brad Slye and Assistant Farm Manager Zoe Dunlow. The final photo features Corn & Small Grains Research Specialist Caleb Bishop harvesting small plots with the Wintersteiger combine in the evening.

Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Virginia Grain Producers Association

🎉 We are thrilled to announce that Zoe Dunlow has been named Tidewater AREC’s new Assistant Farm Manager—a historic milestone, as she becomes the first woman to hold this position since the research center was established in 1914.

A graduate of the Virginia Tech Agricultural Technology program, Zoe has been an integral part of the Tidewater AREC community since 2015. Starting as a summer intern, she transitioned into a 1500‑hour role and later moved into a full‑time field technician position with the PVQE program. Across each of these roles, she has built a foundation of knowledge and hands-on experience in applied research across field and laboratory environments.

Zoe is known for her collaborative spirit, working seamlessly across programs and always seeking ways to strengthen communication and coordination among teams. She approaches challenges with a solutions‑focused mindset, consistently identifying practical, efficient paths forward that support both research goals and day‑to‑day operations.

She believes deeply in the value each department brings to the AREC’s mission and looks forward to expanding her skillset—particularly through precision agriculture—while working alongside Farm Manager Brad Slye to lay the groundwork for future success.

Please join us in welcoming Zoe to this new role as she steps into this exciting chapter at the Tidewater AREC. We are deeply grateful for her dedication, talent, and teamwork—and we can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make in the years ahead!


Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Cooperative Extension