Department of Plant Sciences Students Recognized for Research and Academic Achievements
Three North Dakota State University (NDSU) Department of Plant Sciences graduate students and three undergraduate students were recognized for their research and academic achievements during the NDSU Student Research Day on April 18, 2023. NDSU Student Research Day is a one-day event dedicated to providing NDSU graduate and undergraduate students an opportunity to present their research and creative works and is a collaboration among NDSU EXPLORE, Gamma Sigma Delta (GSD), and the Graduate Student Council (GSC).
Gamma Sigma Delta award winners:
T. M. Shaikh presented a poster, “Homozygosity Mapping Identified Loci and Candidate Genes Responsible for Freezing Tolerance in Camelina sativa”, and won first place in the Gamma Sigma Delta competition. Shaikh is a Ph.D. candidate from Bangladesh advised by Md Mukhlesur Rahman, associate professor.
Md Zahangir Alam presented “Resistance of Canola (Brassica napus L.) to Leptoshaeria maculans Infection'', and won third place in the Gamma Sigma Delta graduate oral presentation competition. Alam is a Ph.D. student from Bangladesh advised by Md Mukhlesur Rahman, associate professor.
Mercedes Morin presented a poster, “Advancing Health Targeted Foods for Glycemic Control and Cognitive Functions from Indigenous Food Systems”, and won second place in the Gamma Sigma Delta undergraduate competition. Morin is a biotechnology major and is advised by Kalidas Shetty, professor and associate VP for International Partnerships and Collaborations.
Katlyn Balstad presented “Advancing Great Plains Food Crops to Evaluate Glycemic Control and Cognitive Functional Bioactive Compounds”, and won second place in the Gamma Sigma Delta undergraduate oral presentation competition. Balstad is majoring in management communication and crop and weed science and is advised by Kalidas Shetty, professor and associate VP for International Partnerships and Collaborations.
Carly George presented “Functional Analysis of Gene PtrV1_06931 Using the CRISPR-Cas9 Technique”, and won third place in the Gamma Sigma Delta undergraduate oral presentation George is majoring in biotechnology and crop and weed science and is advised by Zhaohui Liu, associate professor of plant pathology.
Graduate Student Council award winners:
Jose Figueroa-Cerna presented, “Dry Beans: Genomic prediction for resistance to white mold”, and won third place in the Graduate Student Council oral presentation competition. Figueroa-Cerna is a M.S. student advised by Juan Osorno, professor.
Following Tuesday’s event, the NDSU chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta inducted 15 new graduate student members and 12 new undergraduate members on April 20. Graduate student inductees included WM Vimukthi H Molligoda, Cereal Science; Namrata Acharya, Lucas Alexandre Batista,Bhanu Dangi, Jose Figueroa Cerna, Bijaya Ghimire, David Halvax, Maria Mazala, Jose Diego Montoro Bais, McKayla Neubauer, Bipin Neupane, David Ngure, Ramesh Pilli, Mikayla Tabert, Cerly Rini Yeruva, Plant Science.
Undergraduate inductees included Katlyn Balstad, Mindee Boyce, Carly George, Claire Handke, Benjamin Havelka, Emma Mitchell, Lahni Stachler, Wade Strande, Crop and Weed Science; Hunter Gallagher, Elizabeth Krause, Maria Obermiller, Dax Wiersma, Horticulture.
