2024-2025 Seminars

Genomic Selection for Dwarf Bunt resistance in wheat - William Krause, Crop Science PhD student - OSU   Bio: Will Krause is a PhD student in Crop Science working under the direction of Dr. Margaret Krause (no relation). He completed an undergraduate degree in Agronomy at Truman State university and an MS in plant science at Utah State University prior to coming to Oregon State University.

The effects of wildfire smoke exposure on beef cattle - Aline Santos, Animal Science Master's student - OSU

Bio: My name is Aline Santos, and I am a second-year master's student in Animal Science at Oregon State University. I am originally from Brazil more specifically I was born and raised in Campinas, which is a big city in São Paulo State. My research focuses on the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on beef cattle performance, behavior, and health and I am looking forward to sharing with you all!

High – Throughput Phenotyping of Early Generation Small Grains Breeding Lines to Indirectly Select for Grain Yield - Dalton Jones, Crop Science PhD student - OSU

Bio: Dalton Jones is a Ph.D. student in Crop Science working with Dr. Margaret Krause. Before coming to OSU, he completed an M.S. in Plant Science from Utah State University and a B.S. in Botany from Weber State University. In addition to schooling, he spent two years working as a research technician for the University of Montana, doing rangeland ecology monitoring across the Intermountain West. His research focuses on high-throughput phenotyping and genomic selection for early generation selection of yield and quality traits in wheat and barley.

The effect of Iris yellow spot virus on Onion thrips abundance, survival, and fecundity - Eileen Froshiesar, Crop Science Master's student - OSU

Bio: Eileen Froshiesar is a first year graduate student in the Crop Science program with a focus in Entomology. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Pacific University in Environmental Biology, and has been employed at the OSU Malheur Experiment Station for the past five years under Dr. Stuart Reitz in an entomology internship working with insects commonly found in onion, potato, and wheat production systems. For her master’s thesis research, she is evaluating the effects of an onion pathogen (Iris yellow spot virus) on the abundance, survival, and fecundity of an onion insect pest (onion thrips). The primary objectives of the research are to help growers better understand the relationship between Iris yellow spot virus and onion thrips, as well as to determine the effects of the virus on different onion thrips life stages and development.

Meet the new OSU Extension Organic Agriculture team 

The Team: This new team of Extension Professors of Practice has six specialists including Shayan Ghajar (pasture and forages), Brigid Meints (grains and pulses), Shannon Cappellazzi (soil management), Lucas Nebert (seeds and planting stock), Todd Anderson (tree fruits and nuts) and Nick Andrews (vegetables). Cora Bobo-Shisler serves as their Outreach Coordinator. Beav.es/organic-ag 

Soil Survey Field Operations and Activities in Oregon Localities Between 1975 and 2010 - Matthew Fillmore - Retired from USDA Soil Scientist

Bio: Matthew Fillmore attended Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis where he received B.S. degrees in Soil Science and Wildlife Science in 1976. He began his 37-year career with the USDA Soil Conservation Service in Oregon as a Soil Scientist in 1977 working in Linn County. In 1983 he was transferred to Baker County in northeastern Oregon. In 1987 he was promoted to Soil Survey Project Leader for the Curry County survey project in southwestern Oregon. In 1994 he moved back to Corvallis and was stationed in the Soil Science Department at OSU to begin the initial MLRA-based update for Oregon in Benton County. In 2008 he became the original  MLRA Soils Office Leader for all of western Oregon based in Salem. He mapped over 1 million acres throughout Oregon and authored three soil survey manuscripts (Curry, Benton and Tillamook counties) during his career. He is one of the co-authors of the recently published book “The Soils of Oregon”. He retired from government service in 2013 and lives in Lebanon, Oregon. 

Examples of DEI efforts in CSS Research, Teaching, and Extension - Department of Crop and Soil Science DEI Committee

The DEI committee is pleased to host a seminar featuring several members of the CSS department. Each presenter will give a 3-minute flash talk about a way they have incorporated DEI efforts into their research, teaching, or Extension work. After the flash talks, we will open the room (zoom and in-person) for discussion about how all faculty, staff, and students can incorporate DEI efforts in their own work. We encourage people to come with their own examples or ideas to share. The goals of the seminar are to give members of the department ideas for how they might incorporate DEI into their own work and to begin drafting a CSS-specific document similar to the attached University-wide DEI guide that can serve as a long-term resource for our department.

Characterization of Russet Potato Microbiomes - Holly Golightly, Crop Science MS student - OSU

Bio: Holly is an MS student in the OSU Crop Science program, with a focus in plant breeding and genetics. She completed her undergraduate studies at OSU in crop and soil science and sustainability. Her thesis project centers around how potato plant genetics and the potato microbiome can influence resistance to corky ringspot disease, which is caused by tobacco rattle virus (TRV) vectored by stubby root nematodes (SRNs).

Soil carbon assessment in agroecosystems - Dr. Alfred Hartemink, Professor of Soil Science - University of Wisconsin-Madison

Bio: Dr. Alfred Hartemink is Professor of Soil Science at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  He has a MS and PhD degree in soil fertility and pedology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and Reading University in the UK. At UW Madison, he teaches Pedology and Introduction Soil Science. His research focusses on digital soil morphometrics, soil mapping, and soil carbon in relation to real-world problems. He has developed the digital soil morphometrics discipline which transforms the way soil profiles are being studied and sampled. Prior to his current position, he was 12 years senior researcher at ISRIC–World Soil Information in the Netherlands, and coordinator of the GlobalSoilMap project. He has worked for 12 years as soil fertility expert and soil surveyor in Tanzania, DR Congo, Indonesia, Kenya, Australia and Papua New Guinea, and for shorter periods in several other countries. Alfred is SSSA Fellow, recipient of the SSSA Presidential Award, and an Honorary Member of the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS) and Dutch Society of Soil Science (NBV).

Advancing Infrastructure Resilience through Geochemical Simulations of Stabilized Soils - Dr. Pavan Akula, Assistant Professor, Civil and Construction Engineering - OSU

Bio: Dr. Pavan Akula is an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University, USA. His research focuses on developing advanced computational and experimental techniques for evaluating infrastructure materials. He received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University in May 2020 and his Master’s in Civil Engineering from the National University of Singapore in December 2012. Prior to his Ph.D., he worked as a Geotechnical Engineer for AECOM. He is the committee communication coordinator and an active member of the Stabilization of Geomaterials and Recycled Materials at Transportation Research Board.

Establishing Strategic Weed Research and Educational Programs at Oregon State University - Dr. Victor Ribeiro, Assistant Professor and Extension Weed Specialist - OSU

Bio: Victor Ribeiro is an Assistant Professor and Extension Weed Specialist in the Department of Crop and Soil Science at Oregon State University. He earned his PhD in Crop Science from Oregon State University and gained experience as a research scholar in Weed Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison prior to his doctoral studies. Victor's research interests include herbicide resistance in weeds, herbicide fate in the environment and non-target impacts, weed biology and ecology, and integrated weed management.

Redox Heterogeneity and Carbon Chemistry in Rhizosphere Soil - Dr. Jared Wilmoth, Assistant Professor - University of Maryland

Bio: Dr. Jared Wilmoth is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, in the dept of Environmental Science and Technology (ENST). He broadly studies soil chemistry, including biogeochemistry and redox processes in soils, with emphasis on agricultural and wetland soils. Dr. Wilmoth leads the Soil Chemical Interfaces group in ENST. A current focus of the lab group is on redox dynamics and C transformations in soils under climate change in the US Mid-Atlantic. Before starting at UMD in 2020, Dr. Wilmoth worked as a postdoctoral soil scientist at Princeton University with the Carbon Mitigation Initiative and before that at Oak Ridge National Lab working on soil biogeochemistry and microfluidics. He received his PhD from the University of Georgia, Athens, in 2016.

Evolution of a food systems center: From Small Farms to Regional Vitality - Dr. Lauren Gwin, Director - Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems, Oregon State University

Bio: Dr. Gwin directs the Center for Small Farms & Community Food Systems, is the Extension Community Food Systems Specialist, and is an associate professor in the Crop & Soil Science Department. She provides leadership for a mosaic of programs and partnerships focused on sustainable and organic agricultural practices, and local and regional food systems. She also engages on these issues nationally: her extension and scholarship have shaped state and federal policy and practice, which has benefited many businesses and nonprofit organizations. Her PhD is in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, from the University of California at Berkeley. Lauren gave her first CSS seminar almost exactly ten years ago, when she joined the department

Podophyllotoxin in Juniperus and Related Species - Alhanouf Alzahrani - Crop Science MS student - Oregon State University

Bio: I am Alhanouf Alzahrani, a Master's student in Crop Science with a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. My research focuses on bioprospecting chemicals for drug development, specifically podophyllotoxin in Juniperus species. Podophyllotoxin, found in some Juniperus species, is a bioactive compound with significant pharmaceutical potential. It's known for its anticancer properties. My research into podophyllotoxin in Juniper species is exciting because it could provide a more sustainable source for drug development.

Exploring biochar opportunities to promote circular economy - Dr. Islam Hafez, Assistant Professor, Wood Science - Oregon State University

Bio: Islam Hafez is an assistant professor at the Department of Wood Science and Engineering at Oregon State University. He received his PhD in Bioproducts Engineering from the University of Minnesota. He was a postdoctoral researcher and research assistant professor at the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine. The broad context of his work looks at the structure-process-property relationships of bio-based composites and adhesives. He is particularly interested in the design and manufacturing of composites and the scale-up of promising products and technologies.