Dr. Hardin's research involves developing intelligent machine systems for agricultural production and processing. To meet the demands of the agricultural sector, his work has focused on integrating robust, low-cost sensing systems with statistical and physical models for automation and process control. He has conducted research on optimizing cotton processing, with a particular focus on increasing energy efficiency. He has also studied how plant genetics, environmental and management factors, and processing technology interact to affect energy use and product quality. Dr. Hardin has also conducted research in precision agriculture and measuring efficiency of novel agricultural machinery systems.