RegenPGC grad student honored at 2024 World Food Prize

World Food Prize Graduate Student Poster Competition awardees

RegenPGC Graduate Education Community member Prathyusha Cheguri (4th from left) earned a significant award from the World Food Prize’s “Norman Borlaug Lecture Poster Competition for Graduate and Undergraduate Students.” Prthyusha’s presentation focused on her research “on one of the ideal candidates (Poa bulbosa) to use as the ground cover of the Perennial Ground Cover based cropping systems.” Prathyusha’s achievement speaks well of her efforts as a graduate student at Iowa State University and the mentoring she has received from RegenPGC CoPd, Shuizhang Fei.

Three graduate students were honored in the Borlaug Competition on Oct. 28 as part of the 2024 World Food Prize. Entrants submitted research posters on global issues in food, climate, technology, and more.
Graduate Students Awards
1st place – Esther Y. Akoto, industrial and agricultural technology
2nd place – Brady Clausen, sustainable agriculture
3rd place – Prathyusha Cheguri, genetics and genomics

You can learn more about Prthyusha and her colleagues in our RegenPGC Graduate Education Community at https://www.regenpgc.org/theme-3-education/graduate-education-copy/

(Photo: World Food Prize)

RegenPGC Graduate Students selected for prestigious fellowship

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.

Philip Rockson is the latest RegenPGC student to earn a Master’s degree

Please join us in congratulating RegenPGC graduate student Philip E. Rockson (Rockson) on the acceptance of his Master’s thesis at Iowa State University, “Visualization of agricultural field operations,” available at https://lnkd.in/g-w-tkAd.

Rockson was mentored throughout by RegenPGC Project Director Dr. Dave Raj Raman and was also assisted by RegenPGC CoPd Dr. Daniel Andersen. Rockson is now working on adding a Ph.D. to his list of accomplishments. We are pleased that he has chosen Iowa State University for his Ph.D. studies. You can learn more about Rockson and his RegenPGC Graduate Education Community colleagues at https://lnkd.in/gMHFKXMk.

Before joining the Iowa State University graduate student community, Rockson earned a degree in Agricultural Engineering in Ghana. Afterward, he gained his first experience working with national farms. As he pursued his interests in technology, Rockson had the opportunity to work with startups, gaining valuable experience in industry. Eventually, he joined the technology division of a bank with a presence across Africa, where he worked on developing services and applications. Seeking to delve further into agriculture, engineering, and technology, Rockson returned to school to explore research opportunities in regenerative and precision agriculture. We are so pleased that he found a home with the RegenPGC research team!

RegenPGC grad student receives outstanding student award

RegenPGC Graduate Education Community member Hallie Sandeen has been named the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment “Integrated Plant and Soil Sciences Outstanding New MS Student, 2023-2024.” The best honor is being recognized by your colleagues and peers.

We also want to acknowledge RegenPGC CoPd Erin Haramoto for her role as a mentor to Hallie. Learn more about Hallie’s graduate school work in her video “Perennial Cover Crops: Evaluating Poaceae Species’ Establishment and Weed Suppression Potential.”

You can learn more about our Graduate Education Community at https://www.regenpgc.org/theme-3-education/graduate-education/.

RegenGC grad student pursues creative interests

Graduate education can be a slog. All those hours in the lab move students toward their careers, but in the short run, they can be incredibly long and dry. RegenPGC Graduate Education Community member Prathyusha Cheguri has not let herself be bogged down; instead, she has pursued expanding her creative side by creating original artwork and participating in the arts at Iowa State University.

Here is what Prathyusha recently posted on LinkedIn:

“Hello All!
I am excited to share that I had the honor of presenting my research poster (Cheguri, Prathyusha & Shui-zhang Fei. 2024. Photothermal Effects on Inflorescence Development in Poa Bulbosa) at the 2nd annual Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Symposium – ‘From Code to Cure Bridging the Gap in Biological Sciences’. It was an incredible opportunity to showcase my work and engage with fellow scientists, researchers, and enthusiasts.

Additionally, I have proudly served as the Chair of the Creative Arts Submission Committee. But that’s not all! As a passionate artist, I also contributed some of my artwork to the Creative Arts Submissions🎨. The fusion of science and art is truly magical, and I’m grateful for the chance to express my creativity.”