“I would not be where I am today if I had not done a summer internship at the Rutgers Snyder Research and Extension Farm. The year after I graduated college I was still undecided as to what I wanted to do with my life. Dr. Grande [Snyder Farm Director] convinced me to do a summer internship at the Snyder Farm. While at the Snyder Farm I was exposed to many different aspects of plant biology research and education. I conducted a study on the interaction of herbicides with wear tolerance in turfgrass. I gave my first scientific presentation at the Northeastern Weed Science Society meeting that winter on the research I had conducted at the Snyder Farm. I decided from that experience to attend graduate school at Rutgers. I am now an Assistant Professor in Turfgrass Breeding at Rutgers, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
I love my job and would not trade it for the world. I am conducting research on breeding turfgrass for disease resistance and stress tolerance. I am also breeding tall perennial grasses for biofuel production for the Northeast US. In fact, I have some research plots at the Snyder Farm and hope to expand my research there. Just recently, things have come full circle. I was asked to give the keynote address at the Northeastern Weed Science Society meeting where I gave my very first presentation!”
Education: Ph.D. Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Field of Study: Plant Breeder
Internship: Rutgers Snyder Research and Extension Farm
