2018 Wallace-Carver Fellows

University of Arkansas

Macy Alexander

Placement: Auburn, AL

Agricultural Research Service
Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit 

“I had the opportunity to see firsthand how diseases are impacting catfish farmers and the aquaculture industry. I helped develop new vaccines and management practices with the goal of controlling, and ultimately abolishing, these devastating diseases.”

Vassar College

Parker Bartz

Placement: Ames, IA

Agricultural Research Service
National Lab for Agriculture and the Environment: Soil, Water & Air Research Unit

“I helped study soil aggregates, cover crops, and plant biomass in relation to preventing soil erosion and increasing crop yields. I analyzed soil nutrients, soil microbes, and particulate organic matter, and conducted many experiments with the growth of crops in different conditions.”

Tuskegee University

Alexandria Brown

Placement: Ames, IA

Agricultural Research Service
Forage and Range Research Unit 

“I ran DNA and RNA extractions on several different types of Bermuda grass cultivars and researched which varieties were salt and drought tolerant to help develop improved crops for farmers in semi-arid climates.”

Wake Tech Community College

Molly Carlson

Placement: Baton Rouge, LA

Agricultural Research Service
Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics & Research Laboratory 

Yale University

Eric Chen

Placement: Washington D.C.

Office of the Secretary
Office of the Chief Economist 

“I built trade models to assess the impact of international trade wars on our nation’s farmers, and organized an agency-wide conference on blockchain in agriculture. This fellowship highlighted the critical role of agriculture in international relations, and gave me valuable experience at the intersection of innovation, agriculture and economics.”

Virginia State University

Daria Clinkscales

Placement: Athens, GA

Agricultural Research Service
U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Poultry Microbiological Safety & Processing Research Unit 

As a Fellow, I helped create a vaccination for Salmonella in chickens. We manipulated DNA proteins in order to test antibiotic resistance in commercial chicken populations. Not only did this summer experience help to define and enhance my lab skills, but it has broadened my insight into the incredible opportunities in research.”

Iowa State University

Elaina Conrad

Placement: Washington D.C.

Foreign Agricultural Service
Office of Civil Rights, Office of Agreements and Scientific Affairs

“Conducting policy research with the Foreign Agricultural Service provided me with an incomparable opportunity to engage with senior USDA officials and participate in meaningful work to improve US farmers’ trade access to international markets.”

University of Notre Dame

Lauren English

Placement:  Poplar, MS

Agricultural Research Service 
Southern Horticultural Research Unit 

“During my fellowship, I conducted molecular biology research, including DNA and RNA extractions, on different blueberry species in order to develop a hybrid with higher antioxidant content for better health and higher economic value.”

University of Iowa

Mikayla Eppert

Placement: Peoria, IL

Agricultural Research Service 
National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Functional Foods Research Unit 

Boston University

Rachel Ganson

Placement: Washington D.C.

Economic Research Service
Structure, Technology and Productivity Branch 

“I compiled data and analyzed trends in precision agriculture, focusing on the companies involved in the development, manufacture, and distribution of technologies with the potential to reduce inefficiency and waste in the food supply chain while increasing sustainability, yield, and profitability for farmers.”

Iowa State University

Jade Gerlitz

Placement: Ames, IA

Agricultural Research Service
National Lab for Agriculture
and the Environment,
Agroecosystems
Management Research Unit

“This summer I studied soil nitrate loss and the effect of climate change on cover crop management practices. This research will help reduce the harmful effect of nitrates on aquatic ecosystems and human health in the Gulf of Mexico.”

University of Iowa

Nicholas Grandstaff

Placement: Washington D.C.

Economic Research Service
Diet, Safety & Health Economics Division

“I was given the opportunity to work alongside USDA economists to analyze the accessibility of the Supplemetnal Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the U.S.  In addition to my research, ERS provided seminars that expanded my perspective and understanding of our food system.”

Utah State University

Hailey Hampton

Placement: Geneva, NY

Agricultural Research Service
Grape Genetics Research Unit

“I tested drought tolerance in apple trees using aeroponic technologies. This allowed me to expand my knowledge in a new field that I haven’t previously had experience in, and I’m excited to keep expanding my horizons and learning more in the future.”

University of Kentucky

Morgan Hasler

Placement: Fargo, ND

Agricultural Research Service 
Animal Metabolism-Agricultural Chemicals Research Unit 

“My main focus this summer has been conducting assays to discover new methods for detecting meloxicam, an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat livestock, that is outlawed in meat for human consumption. Our goal is to create a safe, portable, and user-friendly way of detecting the drug to protect the food supply.”

Iowa State University

Abbigail Hoffman

Placement: Peoria, IL

Agricultural Research Service 
National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Functional Foods Research Unit 

“I investigated ways to produce the highest yield of corn oil from corn fiber, a byproduct of ethanol. Normally, corn fiber is used as animal feed, but because corn oil from the fiber is high in healthy fats and other components, it can be used as a dietary supplement to lower cholesterol and fight other cardiovascular diseases.”

Colombia University

Jerome Jacobsen

Placement: New Orleans, LA

Agricultural Research Service 
Southern Regional Research Center, Food and Feed Safety Research Unit 

“I analyzed a fungus that commonly infects crops during transport and storage, and researched novel techniques to control the fungus’s production of aflatoxin, a powerful carcinogen associated with tens of thousands of new cases of liver cancer each year.”

The Ohio State University

Emma Lynne Johnson

Placement: Beltsville, MD

Agricultural Research Service 
National Agricultural Library 

Rice University

Lavina Kalwani

Placement: Washington D.C.

Office of the Secretary
Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement

“As a Wallace Carver Fellow, I had the incredible opportunity to analyze the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 and review the proposed House and Senate “Farm Bill” legislation to evaluate its impact on local and regional food systems.”

University of Maryland

Sharon Mills

Placement: Washington, D.C.

Office of the Secretary
Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement

“I developed social media content and materials to capture the attention of young people and help shape how they think about and understand agriculture today. These efforts are incredibly important as we engage and prepare the next generation of young leaders to address the critical challenges they will face in the next fifty years.”

Fort Valley State University

Mya Mitchell

Placement: Tifton, GA

Agricultural Research Service
Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory 

Clark University

Priyanka Naithani

Placement: Fargo, ND
Agricultural Research Service
Animal Metabolism-Agricultural Chemicals Research Unit

“I developed a test to identify major pesticides that are detrimental to bee health and the ecosystem.”

Arkansas State University

Harper Martin

Placement: Oxford, MS

Agricultural Research Service
National Sedimentation Lab, Water Quality & Ecology Research Unit 

“I studied phosphorus absorption and desorption in lake beds sediment samples in order to better understand nutrient flux rates and develop healthier and more sustainable agricultural systems.”

University of Illinois

Madeline Poole

Placement: Washington, D.C. 

Foreign Agricultural Service
Office of Global Analysis, International Production Assessment Division 

“Through this experience, I learned how remote sensing, agronomy, and economics are applied to  policymaking that affects our global market and everyday life. This fellowship solidified my desire to pursue plant sciences and international development.”

University of Iowa

Alyssa Schaeffer

Placement: Ft. Collins, CO

Agricultural Research Service
Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Water Management Research Unit

University of Minnesota

Josie Slovut

Placement: Las Cruces, NM

Agricultural Research Service
Range Management Research Unit

“I used statistical software to contribute to a study on vesicular stomatitis, an insect-spread virus that affects cattle and horses.  Research of this virus is crucial to stabilizing agricultural economies, since trade restrictions on infected animals have a significant impact on farmers and ranchers.”

Johnson County Community College

Hunter Smith

Placement: Houston, TX

Agricultural Research Service
Children’s Nutrition Research Center

“I assisted in a neonatal nutrition study, testing the effects of probiotics on necrotizing enterocolitis rates in a piglets and analyzed how bile acids impact nutrition associated liver disease.”

University of Kentucky

Stone Warfield

Placement: New Orleans, LA

Agricultural Research Service
Southern Regional Research Center, Food and Feed Safety Research Unit 

“I conducted experiments to better understand the growth of aspergillus flavus, a fungus that produces aflatoxin, a carcinogen that attacks the liver.”

Drake University

Elizabeth Weyer

Placement: Ames, IA

Agricultural Research Service
National Animal Disease Center, Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit

“This summer, I researched bovine digital dermatitis, the leading cause of infectious lameness in cattle worldwide. I learned about bacterial diseases and the role government scientists play in improving animal health around the globe.”

Iowa State University

Kelli Wicks

Placement: Ames, IA

Agricultural Research Service
Range Management Research Unit

“I used statistical software to contribute to a study on vesicular stomatitis, an insect-spread virus that affects cattle and horses.  Research of this virus is crucial to stabilizing agricultural economies, since trade restrictions on infected animals have a significant impact on farmers and ranchers.”

Augustana University

Gillian Wilkins

Placement: Fargo, ND

Agricultural Research Service 
Insect Genetics & Biochemistry Research Unit

“I sought to identify control genes that remain unchanged in alfalfa leaf-cutting bees during the winter. Once found, these genes will provide a template against which other genes can be compared, helping researchers understand the behavior of these bees.”