Not one, but two! RegenPGC graduate students Oluwatuyi (Tuyi) Olowoyeye and Vipul Kumar have been awarded prestigious FFAR Fellowships. Since 2018, the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research (FFAR) has awarded three-year fellowships to PhD students studying food and agricultural sciences.
The FFAR fellowship provides training, professional development, and opportunities to engage with thought leaders in government and industry. You can learn more about the FFAR fellows program at https://foundationfar.org/what-we-do/research-priorities/scientific-workforce/ffar-fellows/.
Oluwatuyi (Tuyi) Olowoyeye is part of the 2023–2026 FFAR fellowship cohort. At Iowa State University, Tuyi is mentored by RegenPGC CoProject Director Dr. Amy Kaleita, and his Fellowship is sponsored by Iowa State University. His dissertation research “focuses on using computer models to quantify the benefits of generative agricultural practices.” You can learn more about Tuyi and his FFAR story here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/4d24147d86924b33a2ae17fd602d318d.
Vipul Kumar is a member of the 2024–2027 FFAR fellowship cohort as a plant breeder. His Iowa State University/RegenPGC mentor is Dr. Shui-zheng Fei. Iowa State University and Corteva Agrisciences sponsor Vipul’s fellowship. Vipul’s research focuses on Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), a promising perennial groundcover candidate characterized by its summer dormancy, cool-season growth habit, and shallow root system. You can learn more about Vipul’s Fellowship at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7f23a8cd28494b3eaafc8a4a9b25941e.