Kumar Bolakhe Recognized for Exceptional Graduate Research Contributions
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Kumar Bolakhe, former graduate student in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, recently received the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award from the Southern Agricultural Economics Association (SAEA) for his thesis Evaluating a Stochastic Optimized Sustainable Aviation Fuel Supply Chain from Winter Canola and Its Carbon Intensity. This highly competitive award recognizes exceptional research contributions in the field of agricultural and applied economics.
Bolakhe was honored February 3 during the annual SAEA meeting in Irving, Texas. His mentor Edward Yu, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, accepted the award on his behalf.
“As Kumar’s advisor and the graduate director of our department, I am thrilled to see his diligent endeavors in research recognized with this award,” said Yu. “It also presents the efforts of our master’s program to equip our students with the analytical and communication skills to address real-world problems.”
Bolakhe’s research, guided by Yu and funded by the Federal Aviation Administration – Aviation Sustainability Center, focused on optimizing the supply chain for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from winter canola in the Southeastern United States.
His findings indicate that with strategic investments in oil extraction and biorefinery facilities, SAF production could reach up to 711 million liters annually while maintaining a carbon intensity at least 50 percent lower than conventional aviation fuel. This research highlights the economic and environmental feasibility of winter canola-based SAF as a viable pathway for decarbonizing the aviation sector.
“I am honored to receive this award from SAEA, which recognizes the importance of optimizing sustainable aviation fuel supply chains,” Bolakhe said. “The Agricultural and Resource Economics master’s program has provided me with a strong foundation in economic modeling and sustainability, and the guidance from Dr. Yu has been invaluable in shaping my research and analytical skills.”
The Master of Science program thesis option in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics is designed to equip students with the analytical and research skills necessary for careers in both the public and private sectors. This 31-hour program includes coursework in economic theory, quantitative methods and applied research. Students are required to complete a thesis, which allows them to conduct original research on critical issues in agricultural and resource economics.
Following his graduation from the Herbert College of Agriculture, Bolakhe is continuing his education at the University of Illinois by pursuing a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.