Major Professor: Dr. Halverson

Home Department: Plant Pathology

Dissertation Title: The root-associated microbiome and agricultural nitrogen use efficiency

Fellowships and Awards: CALS+ Presidential Fellowship, Diane-Brandt Scholarship, Brown Fellowship, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Ecology)

Current Job Title: PhD Candidate in Soil Science at Cornell University

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Please describe your current position

I'm doing a PhD at Cornell now, so more of the same. I know tons of other Iowa State graduates at Cornell, so the research interests are definitely aligned.

Please describe your research at ISU

I studied the maize rhizosphere microbial community and it's role in nitrogen use efficiency in agricultural systems. I did a mixture of field work, lab work, and computational work.

How did your time in the Interdepartmental Microbiology program prepare you for your current position?

Doing a master's was the best preparation possible for doing a PhD. I learned skills that have been vital for my current research.

What advice would you give students looking for work in a similar position or field?

Learn statistics, R, and/or python.

What was your favorite part of the Interdepartmental Microbiology program?

MGSO is the best student organization I've ever been a part of, you'll make great friends there.

What was your favorite part of living in Ames?

There are a lot of good restaurants in Ames. The Cafe is my favorite restaurant of all time. Also, the cost of living is so low (coming from someone who now lives in New York)!

If you could give new students in the program a piece of advice, what would you say?

Keep a healthy work/life balance (guard your weekends and keep your hobbies!) and find a good therapist if you're struggling. Caring for your mental health is the foundation of success in any graduate program.

What advice would you give students about to graduate and enter the job market?

Do informational interviews with people in positions that you want. You will learn from their experiences and they can give you advice on how to prepare before you start applying. Plus, it's great networking.