PSM: A Fresh Crop of New Scientists!
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EmailMeet some of the new scientists completing their programs in PSM
PSM has produced a fresh crop of Masters of Science and Doctors of Philosophy this semester! Congratulations to:
Mariana Araujo Alves Gomes de Souza – MS PLP
Alex Hernandez – PhD PLP
Ian Waldecker – MS CSS
Jhon Concepcion (PhD PBGB CSS) reflects on his experience:
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Research-wise, my most memorable moment will always be publishing my first first-author paper (in Scientific Reports), where we identified a significant SNP and a candidate gene for low Deoxynivalenol content in wheat using hyperspectral imaging data. Before starting my PhD, I had never even heard of hyperspectral imaging, let alone done a GWAS. That’s what makes this publication extra meaningful to me; it really reflects how much I’ve grown as a researcher.
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Outside of research, serving as Chair of the Graduate Student Working Group (2023–2024) of the National Association of Plant Breeders is something I’ll always treasure. I had a great time collaborating with grad students across the U.S., organizing webinars and activities, and just being involved in the broader plant breeding community.
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This summer, I’ll actually be jumping right into a Research Associate (Post-Doc) position with Dr. Davis Lowry’s team in the Department of Plant Biology. I’m really excited—it’ll still be in the realm of phenomics and high-throughput phenotyping, but this time focusing on switchgrass.
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Looking ahead, I definitely see myself staying in academia. I’d love to teach, do research, mentor students, and hopefully run my own breeding program someday.
Hannah Johnson (MS CSS): One of my favorite parts of my master's program was setting up field trials at multiple MSU research stations throughout the state." Hannah is heading to Washington State University to start her PhD at studying potato agronomy.
Tvisha Martin (PhD CSS) studied soil health with Christine Sprunger at KBS:
A favorite moment: It’s hard to pick a particular one, but I would have to say swimming in Gull Lake at KBS after doing field work at the LTER in the summer! My plans for after this: I have been awarded an NSF PRFB and am going on to be a postdoc in Serita Frey’s lab looking at nematode community response to warming at Harvard Forest.
