​The nominees for the SCiDUC Board of Directors are listed alphabetically. Please use the form below to select six individuals for the open seats. Voting is restricted to SCiDUC members only.  Eligibility will be verified with your South Carolina government email address. The deadline to cast your vote is October 10th.  The button to cast a vote is located at the bottom of the page.

Hemanth Dakshinamurthy:  SC State University

Hemanth Dakshinamurthy has developed a fully autonomous UAV-based payload for near-surface soil moisture measurement as part of his PhD thesis. He also has extensive experience in UAV multispectral image analysis, particularly for soil moisture prediction using the Altum Micasense camera, and has contributed to several projects involving data collection and analysis with this technology. Currently, as a Research Scientist at South Carolina State University, he is working on the development of a soil moisture prediction model utilizing hyperspectral imagery from UAVs (Resonon Pika L and Pika IR L, Vector Hexacopters). 

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He is passionate about sharing his expertise in UAV technology with the broader community and is actively involved in encouraging its use to address critical challenges in South Carolina, particularly through platforms like SCiDUC. He is now seeking a nomination for board membership in the SCiDUC, where he aims to contribute his knowledge and drive innovation in UAV applications.

Darryl Jones:  SC Forestry Commission

​Darryl Jones is the Forest Protection Chief for the South Carolina Forestry Commission. His responsibilities include oversight of wildfire suppression, wildfire prevention, emergency response, law enforcement, aviation, drone use, training & safety, and administration of South Carolina’s Certified Prescribed Fire Manager, Smoke Management, and prescribed burning programs. Darryl is a Wildland Firefighter, Certified Prescribed Fire Manager, and a Registered Forester. He is the Chair of the SC Interagency Drone Users Consortium, Vice Chair of the National Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils, an FAA Dronepro, and a member of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s Risk Management Committee. He holds a B.S. degree in Forest Resource Management from Clemson University.​

Dr. Tom Lawrence:  Tri-County Technical College

Dr. Tom Lawrence is the program director and lead faculty for criminal justice at Tri-County Technical College (TCTC). He earned a PhD from Indiana Institute of Technology, an MCJ from Boston University, and a BA from St. Mary’s College of California. He has an extensive background in law enforcement, having served 15 years in municipal, county, and federal law enforcement agencies. He managed numerous special units and served as the training director for an eight-county region in central California. He played an integral role in policy development, legal affairs, and recurring training for incumbent workers.

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Dr. Lawrence’s instructional tenure spans over a decade, during which he has demonstrated his academic leadership and innovation. He has taught the full range of criminal justice topics, oversaw the development of new courses and degree programs, and has recently been tasked with developing the state’s first sUAS academic credential for public safety. His previous role as a senior academic administrator at TCTC equipped him with the skills to lead organizational change and develop statewide partnerships.

His vision for SCiDUC is straightforward. It should serve as a community hub, bringing together practitioners, subject matter experts, academics, learners, and government employees to deliver on a unified set of goals. These goals include:

• informed advocacy

• high-quality, relevant training

• durable professional networks

• robust and meaningful SOPs

He has spent over two decades of his career building communities, advocating for public safety and service, and delivering when it matters most. If elected, he would bring these competencies to enhance the outstanding work of SCiDUC.​