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Graduate education Community

Overview

Our goals for the RegenPGC Graduate Education Community are to create a venue for exposing students to the diverse disciplines engaged in the project, assist them in developing skills for interacting with other collaborators involved in multidisciplinary research, education, and extension, and nurture an appreciation and understanding of the complex issues involved in designing and developing an alternative approach to cropping systems. We will work with these students and those joining us in the years ahead to form a community of scholars and establish relationships with other team members that will serve them throughout their careers.

In 2024, we will focus on these Graduate Student Community activities:

  • Promoting professional growth for the students in the Graduate Education Community. We will help the students develop their academic CVs and promote their science communication and scientific graphic design skills. We will also work on enhancing students’ data analysis prowess using R and/or Python.
  • We are also looking into the possibility of traveling for industry tours to the Land Institute or Climate LLC, allowing us to gain firsthand exposure and insights into institutions and business outside the academic setting. 

Grads, Post-docs & fellows

Memis Bilgici

  • Plant Breeding & Genetics

Memis Bilgici is a doctoral student and graduate assistant at Iowa State University (Agronomy/Plant Breeding), where the RegenPGC project supports his education.

Memis graduated from Ankara University (Agriculture (Field Crops) and also completed two master’s degrees (School of Natural Sciences (Bangor University) and Graduate School of Ag. Life Sciences (Çankırı Karatekin University – Türkiye).

Memis worked as an agricultural engineer at the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Maize Research Institute. Memis grew up in the small town of Kızılırmak, Çankırı, Türkiye, where he was exposed to various field crops and vegetables.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Thomas Lübberstedt (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
TBD

Career Aspirations
Memis’ ambition has always been to become a plant breeder and scientist to help humanity worldwide. He enjoys traveling and discovering new things. Memis anticipates graduating in 2026.

Publications & Presentations

  • Moro, Amina, Cheguri, Prathyusha, Rockson, Philip, Bilgici, Memis, Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, Myers, Gabrielle. (2023, August 6-9). Can we regenerate our land and water systems using the perennial groundcover (PGC) system? An overview. [Poster session]. Soil and Water Conservation Society 78th SWCS International Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-23-SWCS-Poster.pdf

Prathyusha Cheguri

  • Plant Breeding & Genetics

Prathyusha Cheguri has always been fascinated by science, which is why she studied Agricultural Sciences as an undergraduate and completed her master’s in plant Breeding and Genetics. She also worked as a research fellow in ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India. This experience and her curiosity for research allowed her to develop knowledge on plant breeding strategies and various laboratory skills and to get well-versed in subjects like Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, Biotechnology, bioinformatics, and other agriculture-related subjects.

Currently, she is PhD student in Genetics and Genomics Program studying how the summer dormancy trait is genetically controlled in Poa Bulbosa. The objectives of the experiments are to:

  • Evaluate the genetic variation for summer dormancy traits in the field.
  • Perform RNAseq to identify candidate genes for summer dormancy.
  • Conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify genetic loci for summer dormancy.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Shui-Zhang Fei (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
“Summer Dormant grasses as perennial groundcover for crop production” (Temporary, will modify later)

Current Skill Set
Prathyusha is broadly trained in various wet lab equipment handling, conducting field and lab experiments- independently and in the group, problem-solving and project handling, data analysis, student mentoring, and scientific writing, besides communication skills of sharing research through presentations.

Career Aspiration
Building a career in agriculture as a researcher and motivating youth to pursue agriculture creatively and profitably is Prathyusha’s vision for herself.

Publications & Presentations

  • Cheguri, Prathyusha, Fei, Shuizhang, & Moore, Kenneth J. (2024, November 11). Photothermal Effects on Inflorescence Development in Poa Bulbosa and the Study of Its Reproductive Mode [Poster presentation]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/159592. Poster.
  • Cheguri, Prathyusha, Fei, Shuizhang, Moore, Kenneth J., Schlautman, Brandon, Galland, Patrick D., & Hintz, Roger. (2024, November 11). A Sustainable Approach to Enhance Ecosystem Services by Interplanting Summer Dormant Grasses with Maize [Conference presentation]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/159560.
  • Cheguri, Prathyusha. (2024, April 3). Photothermal Effects in Inflorescence Development in Poa Bulbosa. From Code to Cure Bridging the Gap in Biological Sciences [Poster presentation]. 2nd Annual Iowa State University Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Symposium. Ames, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-3-22-Cheguri-Poster-RF-Baker-Poster.pdf
  • Cheguri, Prathyusha. (2024, March 22). Photothermal Effects in Inflorescence Development in Poa Bulbosa [Poster presentation]. From Code to Cure Bridging the Gap in Biological Sciences. 2nd R.F. Baker Plant Breeding Symposium, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-3-22-Cheguri-Poster-RF-Baker-Poster.pdf
  • Cheguri, Prathyusha, Costa, Marina, Hintz, Roger, Galland, Patrick D., Moore, Kenneth J.,  Schlautman, Brandon, & Fei , Shuizhang. (2023, October 31). Interplanting Summer-Dormant Cool-Season Grasses with Maize Can Potentially Enhance Ecosystem Services with Minimal Grain Yield Reduction [Conference presentation]. 2023 ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2023am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/153572
  • Cheguri, Prathyusha. (2023, September 13). Cool-season Grasses as Perennial Groundcover for Sustainable Corn Production [Poster presentation].Iowa Nutrient Research Center, Ames, IA, United States. https://www.cals.iastate.edu/inrc/video/focus-future-%E2%80%93-students-their-contributions-water-quality-research-september-13-2023
  • Moro, Amina, Cheguri, Prathyusha, Rockson, Philip, Bilgici, Memis, Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, Myers, Gabrielle. (2023, August 6-9). Can we regenerate our land and water systems using the perennial groundcover (PGC) system? An overview [Poster presentation]. Soil and Water Conservation Society 78th SWCS International Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-23-SWCS-Poster.pdf.

Sagar Dahal

  • Socioeconomic Impacts & Policy

Sagar Dahal is a Ph.D. student in Agricultural Economics at Iowa State University with interests in price analysis, futures and options, risk management, and commodity markets. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal, and an MS in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. His Master’s thesis, “Exploring the Presence of Nonlinear Deterministic Dynamics in Commodity Prices,” reflects his deep interest in understanding complex market behaviors.

During his Master’s studies, Sagar worked as a Graduate Research Assistant, where he gained experience in academic writing, data management, and analysis. He also gained teaching experience as a Teaching Assistant for Applied Econometrics and Introduction to Microeconomics.

In his free time, Sagar enjoys listening to music, watching movies, hiking, and camping.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Amani Elobeid (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
TBD

Skill Set

  • Quantitative Analysis

    • Statistical Methods and Econometrics
    • Data analysis using R, Python, Stata, and SAS
  • Research and Academic Writing

Career Aspirations
Looking ahead, I aspire to advance my career in research and academia, focusing on modeling and forecasting commodity markets and risk management. I am committed to deepening my knowledge and providing valuable insights to the field of Agricultural Economics.

Alioune Diop

Alioune Diop

  • Soil Health & Nutrient Management

My name is Alioune Diop, and I was born and raised in Senegal, West Africa. During my childhood, I was involved in agriculture growing Groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea) and black-eyed peas (Vigna Unguiculata) in Senegal. This journey alongside experienced farmers has allowed me to learn and develop a passion for plant biology and soil science. Additionally, attending Bethel University in Tennessee, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, has allowed me to perform experiments in the laboratory and fieldwork in Botany, Microbiology/Bacteriology, Genetics, Cell and Molecular Biology.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Richard Roth (RegenPGC Collaborator)

Thesis Title
Not sure yet! Possibly “Characterization and Identification of Roots in a Perennial Ground Cover System.”

Skill Set

  • Field Research (Soil Sampling)
  • Laboratory Research (DNA Extraction, & Cell culture)
  • Data Collection and Analysis
  • Crop Physiology
  • Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Career Aspirations
I want to implement the practical application of the experiences I will gain at Iowa State University on PGC + corn cropping systems in order to mitigate soil degradation and improve the livelihoods of farmers across the African continent.

Publications & Presentations

  • Diop, Alioune, Yakubu, Adam, Ludolph, Alex, Sassman, Aaron, Raman, Raj, & Roth, Richard.  (2024, November 12). Investigating Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Perennial Ground Cover Corn Cropping Systems [Poster presentation]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/161214. Poster.

Max Eness

  • Soil Health & Nutrient Management

Max Eness grew up in Ames, Iowa, where he learned to love gardening, agriculture, and plants of all kinds. He graduated from Luther College in 2020 and worked for Corteva Agriscience before joining the Iowa State University Plant-Soil Interaction Lab. Max will be fighting fires in the west this summer but will rejoin RegenPGC for the fall semester.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Marshall McDaniel (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
Not sure yet! Possibly “Characterization and Identification of Roots in a Perennial Ground Cover System.”

Skill Set
Science communication and ideation.

Career Aspirations
TBD!

RegenPGC Grad Student Ricked Franklin

Rickiel Franklin

  • Crop Ecology & Management

Rickiel Rodrigues Franklin da Silva is a Ph.D. Student and Research Assistant in the Iowa State University Agronomy Department. He was born in Brazil, where he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and his Master of Science in Agronomy, with an emphasis on Sustainable Development, from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. he acted as a farmer in the Brazilian Cerrado, a sustainability consultant, and a business executive in an ag multinational company. He also served as a guest researcher in the “Land Use and Climate Change” project.

Rickiel has experience in the integration of plant and animal production systems, adapting to different edaphoclimatic situations, and in the RegenPGC project, acts on the physiological response of maize to light quality in different intercropping systems environments

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Ken Moore (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title Not defined yet but the scope is “light and water competition in a maize-perennial intercropping system.”

Skill Set

  • Merging practical and theoretical knowledge
  • Crop Physiology
  • Phenotyping
  • Life cycle assessment
Cameron Krumm

Cameron Krumm

  • Breeding & Genetics

Cameron Krumm is beginning a master’s degree in Horticulture at Iowa State University. Cameron graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Secondary Education from Iowa State University.

Cameron spent his last two summers working in the RegenPGC group as an REU and then as a RET (Research Experience for Teachers), while working as a high school teacher in the state of Iowa. Cameron decided to make a switch from the world of teaching into a career in Horticulture.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Shui-zhang Fei (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
TBD

Current Skill Set

  • Problem Solving
  • Field Experience
  • Communication Skills
  • Teaching

Career Aspirations
After completing my Master’s, I would like to apply what I’ve learned from RegenPGC to the private sector to improve current techniques used by farmers in my home state of Iowa.

Vipul Kumar

  • Breeding & Genetics

Vipul Kumar was born and raised in the Indian state of Haryana, where agriculture is the predominant occupation. Having come from a farming background, Vipul was drawn more to agricultural sciences. He has completed his MS in Genetics and Plant Breeding with a Molecular Biology & Biotechnology minor subject from one of the leading agricultural universities of India, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, under the supervision of Dr. Surender Kumar Pahuja.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Shui-zheng Fei (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
 TBD

Skill Set
As an independent researcher, I have been involved in experiment design, field layout planning, sample collection, disease scoring, emasculation-pollination, crossing techniques, phenotyping, and the application of various statistical tools. My hands-on experience also includes FTIR, HPLC, ICP-MS, AAS, DNA/RNA isolation, PCR, Agarose Gel Electrophoresis, PAGE, and bioinformatics tools..

Career Aspirations
As a passionate and aspiring plant scientist, I’m determined to revolutionize agriculture by leveraging cutting-edge molecular plant breeding technologies. My ultimate goal is to play a significant role in improving global food security and sustainability.

Publications & Presentations

Austin Landini

Austin Landini

  • Socioeconomic Policy & Impacts

Austin Landini is a post-doctoral research fellow from Iowa City, Iowa. He completed his Ph.D. in Economics at Colorado State University in 2022. His research interests include Regional Economics, Geospatial Analysis, Behavioral Analysis, Demographics and Migration. As part of the REP program, Austin is excited to undertake research on the economic analysis of regenerative perennial groundcover crops. Austin will be working with RegenPGC CoPD Dr. Keri Jacobs.

Thesis Title
Three Essays on the Local Economic Impact of Demographic Change

Skill Set

  • Data Analysis
  • Geospatial Data
  • STATA
  • Teaching

Career Aspirations
My ultimate goal is to play a significant role in improving global food security and sustainability. An academic job that includes a balance of teaching and research.

Jacob Miller Klugesherz

Jacob Miler-Klugesherz

  • Socioeconomic Impacts & Policy

Jacob Miller-Klugesherz started his work with RegenPGC in May 2023. Research: socio-political barriers to farmer adoption of conservation agriculture, especially (perennial) groundcover; farmer identity and wellbeing; the treadmill of production driving the Ogallala Aquifer’s depletion; and moral foundations of the policymaking process related to agriculture and climate change. His past research focused on material semiotics, ecospheric rhetoric, and public speaking. A sixth-generation Kansan, his non-academic interests include cooking, gardening, and all things basketball. https://jam199540.wixsite.com/personalsite.

Graduate Advisors
Dr. Cornelia Flora (RegenPGC CoPd) and Dr. Matthew Sanderson

Dissertation Title (Tentative)
 “Cultivating community capitals, conservation/regenerative agriculture, and (perennial) groundcover in the U.S. corn-soybean belt: Exploring the interrelated health of soils and souls (of farmers and communities).”

Skill Set

  • Leadership, public speaking, qualitative, ethnography, case studies, factor analyses, SEM/path analyses
  • Programs used: Otter.ai, Atlas.ti, Zotero Microsoft Office Suite, Google Sites, Wix Website Platform, Stata, IBM Amos and SPSS

Career Aspirations
Upon graduation (expected August 2025), Jacob would like to become a Kansas-based liberal arts professor while helping to sustain and study the local community food system.

Recent & Relevant Publications & Presentations

  • Miller-Klugesherz, Jacob A. (2024, July 24-28). Cultivating Community Capitals and Conservation Agriculture Among Farmers, Ag-adjacent Persons, and Community Leaders in a Rapidly Developing Pottawatomie County, Kansas [Poster presentation]. 86th Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society. Madison, WI, United States.
  • Miller-Klugesherz, Jacob A. (2024, July 24-28). Community Capitals & Perennial Groundcover Adoption in the U.S. corn-belt: A Quantitative & Exploratory Analysis of the Interrelated Health of Soil, People, and Communities [Conference presentation]. 86th Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society. Madison, WI, United States.
  • Miller-Klugesherz, Jacob A. & Matthew R. Sanderson. (2023). Good for the soil, but good for the farmer? Addiction and recovery in transitions to regenerative agriculture. J. of Rural Studies, 103, 103123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2023.103123.
Modestos Modestou

Modestos Modestou

  • Soil Health & Nutrient Management

Modestos Modestou is originally from Cyprus but has lived in the U.S. as a naturalized citizen for almost twenty years. Modestos attended the University of Iowa and earned a B.S. in Biochemistry and a B.S. in Microbiology. After graduation, Modestos worked at the University of Iowa in several research labs, first as a research assistant, then as a research associate, and finally as a research scientist/lab manager. Modestos is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Crop Production and Physiology and an Interdisciplinary Master of Science in Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Statistics.

Graduate Advisors
Dr. Marshall McDaniel (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
TBD

Skill Set
I have extensive experience in molecular biology and biochemistry techniques as well as designing experiments and analyzing the resulting data.

Career Aspirations
I want to teach plant biochemistry and physiology at the college level, emphasizing sustainable agriculture.

Jack Moran

Jack Moran

  • Crop Ecology & Management

Jack Moran is starting his master’s in crop production and physiology at Iowa State University. He graduated with a bachelor’s in animal and crop production from University College Dublin. Jack is from Ireland, where he lives on a family organic beef and tillage farm.

At RegenPGC, Jack will investigate the establishment of perennial ground cover, examining seed treatments and various establishment methods.

Graduate Advisors
Drs. Susana Goggi and Ken Moore (RegenPGC CoPds)

Thesis
“Improving the establishment of Kentucky bluegrass as a perennial groundcover using seed treatments and seed mixes.”

Skill Set

  • Good at applying theoretical knowledge into a practical field setting
  • A good ability to listen and learn from others.
  • Problem solving.

Career Aspirations
After finishing my Master’s in 2025, I hope to explore the area of regenerative agriculture and solve the issue of feeding the growing world population with less resources. I hope to improve my research skills at Iowa State University.

Publications & Presentations

  • Moran, Jack, Goggi, A. Susana, & Moore, Kenneth J. (2024, November 11). Improving the Establishment of Kentucky Bluegrass As a Perennial Groundcover through Seed Rate, Seed Ratio, and Hydrophilic Seed Coating. [Conference poster & Abstract]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/157110, Poster.
  • Moran, Jack, Goggi, A. Susana, Moore, Kenneth J., & Fei, Shiu-zhang. (2024, November 13). Investigating Seed Treatments and Soil Amendments to Improve Establishment of Kentucky Bluegrass As a Perennial Groundcover [Conference presentation]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/157106.

Amina Moro

  • Crop Ecology & Management

Amina Moro is seeking a Master’s Degree in Crop Production and Physiology at Iowa State University (Agronomy). Amina currently holds a BSc in Agricultural Technology (University for Development Studies, Ghana), where she earned First-Class honors. She is proud to be the first female to graduate with first-class honors since the department was established.

Amina describes herself as a highly self-motivated person and a great team player.

Graduate Advisors
Drs. Kenneth Moore and Professor Susana Goggi (RegenPGC CoPds)

PGC Research
Amina will investigate “Shade Avoidance Proximity “between Corn and PGC.” The primary objective is to determine the R/fR zone of influence on the developing corn plant.

Skill Set

  • Critical/creative thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Project Management

Career Aspirations
Amina intends to pursue her doctorate in Crop Production and Physiology and improve her knowledge and skills by working with professionals in both industries and academia. She would like to own a non-profit organization to help farmers solve complex problems, especially less educated farmers in Africa. Amina expects to finish her master’s degree in August 2024.

Publications & Presentations

  • Moro, Amina, Goggi, A. Susana, Moore, Kenneth J., & Fei, Shuizhang. (2024, November 12). Corn Growth and Development as Affected by Planting Distance from Perennial Groundcover (PGC) [Poster presentation]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/161285. Poster.
  • Moro, Amina, Goggi, A. Susana, Moore, Kenneth J., & Fei, Shuizhang. (2024, November 11). Shade Avoidance Response of Corn in Response to Proximity to Perennial Groundcover (PGC) [Conference presentation]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/157122.
  • Moro, Amina, Cheguri, Prathyusha, Rockson, Philip, Bilgici, Memis, Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, Myers, Gabrielle. (2023, August 6-9). Can we regenerate our land and water systems using the perennial groundcover (PGC) system? An overview. [Poster presentation]. Soil and Water Conservation Society 78th SWCS International Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-23-SWCS-Poster.pdf
  • Tengey, Theophilus Kwabla, Alidu, Sanatu Mustapha, Amina Moro, Nboyine, Jerry & Affram, Emmanuel Israel. (2023). Resistance to Callosobruchus maculatus among cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) genotypes. J. Crop Improvement, 37(3), 309–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427528.2022.2092573.

Oluwatuyi (“Tuyi”) Olowoyeye

  • Ecosystem Services & Modeling

     

Oluwatuyi (“Tuyi”) Olowoyeye is a Ph.D. candidate in the Ag and Biosystems Engineering Department at Iowa State University (Land and Water Resources Engineering). His interest in water sustainability is strongly tied to the water scarcity in the environment where he grew up in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Ag Engineering with soil and water emphasis from the Federal University of Technology Akure and a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Water Management Engineering (University of Debrecen).

Currently, he is deploying all relevant skills to work on soil erosion modeling in the same system, a fragment of the grand objective. He is excited about the future when the work will become a globally recognized solution that all farmers, conservationists, and scientists are willing to adopt.

Oluwatuyi loves volunteering and service. Currently, Tuyi is one of the global ambassadors for Thought for Food and the president of the Ag and Biosystems Engineering Graduate Student Organization. He loves listening to edifying music and enjoys reading a lot. He is a big fan of the public library. Anywhere he finds himself, he would still locate the public library, irrespective of the wealth of resources in his home.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Amy Kaleita (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
“Modelling Water Dynamics in the Perennial Ground Cover System”

Key Field Experience Skills

  • Soil erosion modeling
  • Physical based modeling
  • Spatial data analysis
  • Project management
  • Soil and water conservation

Career Aspirations
Researching and teaching! Oluwatuyi is looking forward to a future where he can innovate processes that would help better water and land management. Oluwatuyi anticipates graduating in 2024.

Publications & Presentations

  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi. S. (2024, June 20). Save soil with next-gen landcover [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/357SGkPQlFc?si=fnATMlcrFdQSQ57c
  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi. S. & Kaleita, Amy. (2024, February 16). Investigating Erosion Reduction Rate under the Perennial Ground Cover (PGC) system using the Rainfall simulation [Poster presentation]. Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Symposium, Ames, Iowa, United States.
  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi. S. & Kaleita, Amy. (2024, April 18). Can Perennial Groundcover (PGC) Improve Soil Health? [Conference presentation]. FFAR Fellowship Residential Session. Raleigh, North Carolina, United States.
  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, S. & Kaleita, Amy. (2023, Oct. 26). Investigating Erosion Reduction Rate under the Perennial Ground Cover (PGC) System using the Rainfall Simulation. [Poster presentation]. RegenPGC Annual Meeting, Johnston, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Obj-4-Amy-and-Tuyi.pdf
  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi. S. & Kaleita, Amy. (2023, September 20). Modeling Drought and Aridity in the Perennial Ground Cover (PGC) System. [Poster presentation]. Iowa Water Conference – Navigating Extremes. Altoona, IA, United States.
  • Moro, Amina, Cheguri, Prathyusha, Rockson, Philip, Bilgici, Memis, Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, & Myers, Gabrielle. (2023, August 6-9). Can we regenerate our land and water systems using the perennial groundcover (PGC) system? An overview. [Poster presentation]. Soil and Water Conservation Society 78th SWCS International Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-23-SWCS-Poster.pdf
  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi. S. & Kaleita, Amy. (2023, July 12). Towards Modeling a Perennial Ground Cover Cropping System. [Conference presentation]. American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Annual International Meeting, Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, S., Kaleita, Amy, Raman, Raj & Anex, Rob. (2023, January 11). Soil Erosion Research under a Changing Climate Symposium. [ASABE Symposium Abstract # 23528]. A Specialty Conference of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, United States. https://doi.org/10.13031/soil.23528
  • Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, Kaleita, Amy, Raman, D. Raj & Robert Anex. (Sep. 2022, September). Modeling Soil Erosion in a Perennial Ground Cover (PGC) System. [Poster Presentation]. Iowa Water Conference, Dubuque, IA, United States

Philip Ekow Rockson

  • Soil Health & Nutrient Management

Philip Ekow Rockson earned a degree in Agricultural Engineering in Ghana. Afterward, Rockson gained his first experience working with national farms. As he pursued his interests in technology, he had the opportunity to work with startups, gaining valuable experience in the 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.

Rockson defended his Master’s thesis, “Visualization of Agricultural Field Operations,” in April 2024 and will soon begin a PH.D. program at Iowa State University.

Graduate Advisors
Drs. D.Raj Raman amd Daniel Andersen (RegenPGC CoPds)

Thesis Title
TBD 

Skill Set

  • Software testing and management
  • Python programming
  • Project management

Career Aspirations
Providing consultancy services and running an agritech company.

Publications & Presentations

  • Rockson, Philip E,  Andersen, Daniel S., Licht, Mark A, & Raman, Raj D. (2024). The Design and Testing of a Field Operations Visualizer. AgriEngineering, 2024, 6 4620-4638, https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering6040264. [Open Access].
  • Rockson, Philip, E. (2024). Visualization of agricultural field operations [Master’s thesis, Iowa State University]. PROQUEST Repository & https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Rockson-Visualization_of_Agricultural_.pdf. Available Jun. 5, 2026.
  • Moro, Amina, Cheguri, Prathyusha, Rockson, Philip, Bilgici, Memis, Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, Myers, Gabrielle. (2023, August 6-9). Can we regenerate our land and water systems using the perennial groundcover (PGC) system? An overview. [Poster presentation]. Soil and Water Conservation Society 78th SWCS International Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-23-SWCS-Poster.pdf
  • Rockson, Philip E., Andersen, Daniel S., Licht, Mark A. & Raman, D.Raj. (2023, July 9-12). Field Operations Visualizer (FOV) Development. [Poster presentation]. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting, Omaha, NE, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-07-14-Rockson-ASABE-2023-Poster-.pdf

Hallie Sandeen

  • Crop Ecology & Management

Hallie Sandeen  grew up in Winfield, Iowa. Hallie completed her B.S. at Iowa State University in the fall of 2023 in Agronomy with a Certificate in Soil Science. While at Iowa State, she was an undergraduate teaching assistant and was involved in the soil judging team. During her last semester, she began research on the RegenPGC project with Corteva working in suppression trials. In the fall of 2023, Hallie will begin her research at The University of Kentucky working toward her M.S. degree in Integrated Plant and Soil Science with major professor and RegenPGC CoPd Dr. Erin Haramoto. 

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Erin Haramoto (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
TBD

Current Skill Set

  • Data Analysis
  • Field and Lab Work

Career Aspiration
To work in research and/or teach in academia.

Publications and Presentations

  • Sandeen, Hallie. (2023, December). Perennial cover crops: evaluating Poaceae species’ establishment and weed suppression potential [Video]. YouTube. [2023 North Central Weed Science Society Annual Meeting  Student Extension Video Contest]. https://youtu.be/kidpvaIgUMY?feature=shared

  • Sandeen, Hallie, Haramoto, Erin, Allen, Matthew, Phillips, Tim, Fei, Shuizhang, Lira, Sara, & Schlautman, Brandon. (2024, January ). Perennial groundcover: evaluating Poaceae species’ establishment and weed suppression potential [Poster presentation]. IPSS Graduate Student Symposium, Lexington, KY, United States.

Kiera Searcy

  • Crop Ecology & Management

Kiera Searcy grew up in Hanford, California where she was surrounded by a huge diversity in agriculture. Kiera received her bachelor’s in plant science from California State University, Fresno. At CSUF she worked on the campus farm as a student assistant at the Ornamental Horticulture Unit, at Bayer Crop Science as an intern, and as a lab assistant at the University of California Cooperative Extension. Kiera conducted undergraduate research evaluating weed control methods in a nursery container lath house setting and helped prove the first case of herbicide resistance in chickweed west of the Rocky Mountains. She is now pursuing a master’s degree and is a graduate research assistant at the University of Kentucky where she will be conducting weed science research.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Erin Haramoto (RegenPGC CoPd)

Thesis Title
TBD

Current Skill Set

  • Experimental Design

  • Data Analysis and Collection

  • Field/lab work

  • Problem-solving

Career Aspiration
I expect to finish my master’s degree in 2025, and I hope to further my education by pursuing a Ph.D. in an agriculture-related field. Upon completing my Ph.D., I want to work at a university as a professor. I hope to conduct research on more sustainable agricultural practices so we can implement them to change our methodologies to a more educated approach, planning for the future.

Publications and Presentations

  • Searcy, Kiera. (2023, December). Weed management strategies for establishing Kentucky Bluegrass as a perennial cover crop [Video]. YouTube. [2023 North Central Weed Science Society Annual Meeting  Student Extension Video Contest]. https://youtu.be/97pAksPywuc?feature=shared
  • Searcy, Kiera. (2024, January). Haramoto, Erin, Allen, Matthew, Green, J.D., Flynn, Scott, & Schlautman, Brandon. Weed management strategies for establishing Kentucky Bluegrass as a perennial cover crop [Poster presentation].  IPSS Graduate Student Symposium, Lexington, KY, United States.

Malcolm Yusuf St Cyr

  • Soil Health & Nutrition Management

Malcolm Yusuf St Cyr is a graduate student in soil science at Iowa State University and a member of the RegenPGC Soil Health & Nutrition Management Objective. Malcolm holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and global resource systems. Growing up and attending high school in Senegal, West Africa, Malcolm developed a passion for agriculture in middle school, aspiring to help Senegal achieve food self-sufficiency and become a leading agricultural exporter.

Malcolm’s current research focuses on nitrous oxide emissions and soil health within perennial grain cropping systems. Recently, he gave a presentation titled “Using Perennial Ground Covers in Midwest Agriculture to Sustain High Ccop Productivity and Reduce Environment Impact” at the Gamma Sigma Delta Agriculture Honors Society graduate competitive oral presentations at the 2024 82nd Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, sponsored by Tuskegee University. On November 17, 2024, Malcolm was honored with a second-place award and a monetary prize for his outstanding presentation.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Marshall McDaniel (RegenPGC CoPd)

Publications and Presentations

  • St Cyr, Malcolm. (2024, November). Using Perennial Ground Covers in Midwest Agriculture to Sustain High Ccop Productivity and Reduce Environment Impact [Gamma Sigma Delta Agriculture Honors Society Graduate Competitive Oral Presentations]. 82nd Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee Alabama, United States.

regenPGC Grad Student Alumni

Kavi Acharya, Aug. 2024 – Plant Breeding & Genetics 

Bandana Bhusal, Aug. 2024 – Plant Breeding & Genetics

Lindsey Diehl, Dec. 2023 – Soil Health & Nutrition Management

Brooke Dietsch, Feb. 2022 – Plant Breeding & Genetics

Patrick Galland, Dec. 2022 – Plant Breeding & Genetics

Leticia Prada de Miranda, Dec. 2024 –  Plant Breeding & Genetics

 

Gabby Myers

Gabrielle (“Gabby”) Myers

  • Water Quality & Biosystems Engineering

Gabrielle (“Gabby”) Myers grew up in Underwood, Iowa. She completed her BS in biological systems engineering at Iowa State University in 2020. At Iowa State, Gabby is working on a Ph.D. in agricultural and biosystems engineering and is a trainee in the NSF research traineeship “DataFEWSion.”

Graduate Advisors
Drs. D.Raj Raman and Daniel Andersen (RegenPGC CoPds)

Skill Set

  • Data analysis
  • Fieldwork
  • Water quality

Career Aspiration
A research and teaching position in academia.

Publications & Presentations

  • Myers, Gabrielle. (2024, Jun. 5). Assessing the Impact of Perennial Groundcover and Interseeded Annual Cover Crops on Corn Yield and Drainage Water Quality. Iowa Learning Farms – 2024 Conservation Webinar Series, Ames, IA, United States. https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/resources/gabrielle-myers.
  • Myers, Gabrielle. (2024). Analysis and Assessment of Novel Food, Bioenergy, and Cropping Systems: Cultured Meat, Anaerobic Digestion, and Perennial Groundcover Analysis and Assessment of Novel Food, Bioenergy, and Cropping Systems: Cultured Meat, Anaerobic Digestion, and Perennial Groundcover. [Doctoral Dissertation, Iowa State University]. PROQUEST Repository and https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Gabrielle-Myers-Thesis.pdf.
  • Myers, Gabrielle. (Feb. 2024). Water quality impacts of perennial groundcover in tile-drained corn production. [Presentation]. Iowa Nutrient Reduction Center, Focus on the Future: Students Discuss Water Quality Research, Ames, IA, United States.
  • Moro, Amina, Cheguri, Prathyusha, Rockson, Philip, Bilgici, Memis, Olowoyeye, Oluwatuyi, Myers, Gabrielle. (2023, August 6-9). Can we regenerate our land and water systems using the perennial groundcover (PGC) system? An overview. [Poster Session]. Soil and Water Conservation Society 78th SWCS International Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-08-23-SWCS-Poster.pdf
Leticia Prada de Miranda

Leticia Prada de Mirada

  • Breeding & Genetics

Leticia Prada de Miranda (Visiting scholar, Iowa State University). Leticia sprent a year in Dr.  Thomas Lubberstedt where had “great learning in developing double haploid lines in maize, cover crop systems with the RegenPGC group and molecular area, assisting in a gene editing project using the Cre-Lox methodology.)

Leticia is a Ph.D. candidate in genetics and breeding at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) in Brazil.  She is a graduate (Agronomy) of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) where she obtained an MS degree in genetics and breeding.

 

While working on her master’s degree, Leticia worked on the adaptation of temperate, tropical, and mixed germplasm maize populations in tropical environments. Her thesis is on maize breeding, evaluating maize single crosses developed in our program, under different nitrogen conditions.

Graduate Advisors
Dr. Thomas Lübbersted

Key Field Experience Skills

  • Trial design
  • Data analysis
  • Maize and common bean breeding

Career Aspirations
Leticia looks forward to working as a plant breeder in industry.

Publications & Presentations

  • Prada de Miranda, Leticia, de Barros, Jean Marcos, Rocha de Souza, Rafael, dos Santos Pereira, Gabriela, Lübberstedt, Thomas, Oliveira de Lima, Rodrigo. (2024, November 12). Genetic diversity and relationships among flowering traits in a line panel from BS39 maize population grown under tropical environments in Brazil. [Poster presentation]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, United States. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2024am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/159943. Poster.

Kaila Topping

  • Ecosystem Services & Modeling

Kaila Topping completed her Master’s in Agroecology through the University of Wisconsin in May 2024. She worked with Dr. Rob Anex on the ecosystem services and modeling objective of the RegenPGC project. Prior to graduate school, Kaila received her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Juniata College and then spent a few years working on small vegetable farms throughout the East coast.

Graduate Advisor
Dr. Rob Anex (RegenPGC CoPd)

Career Aspiration
After obtaining her master’s degree, Kaila looks forward to getting her hands dirty again and hopefully owning/operating a mixed vegetable farm. Kaila expects to graduate in May 2024.

Publications
Topping, Kaila. “Simulation of the water balance in a perennial groundcover corn intercrop with the STICS crop model.” Master’s Thesis, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2024. https://www.regenpgc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Topping-Agroecology-Thesis.pdf