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K-State Today

September 30, 2024

Agronomy graduate students awarded College of Agriculture scholarships

Submitted by Brianna Sprague

The College of Agriculture has awarded almost $91,000 in student scholarships. Seventy-nine students applied for the scholarships, and 23 scholarships were awarded. The department of agronomy is excited to recognize seven of its graduate students for receiving scholarships from the College of Agriculture.

Five scholarships are funded specifically for graduate students enrolled in programs within or connected to the College of Agriculture. The following students from the agronomy department received scholarships:

Megan Bourns received the Robert Nunemacher Scholarship. Bourns is a Certified Crop Advisor with a Bachelor of Science in agronomy and a Master of Science in soil science, originally from Manitoba, Canada. Her doctoral research at K-State focuses on improving the sustainability of phosphorus fertilizer management for corn and soybean production in Kansas.

Endy Lopes Kailer received the Robert Nunemacher Scholarship. Kailer is a doctoral student under the guidance of Professor Charles Rice, exploring the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on soil health and carbon sequestration. Originally from Brazil, Endy holds bachelor's and master's degrees in agronomy. Her long-term aspiration is to become a college professor, sharing her passion for soil microbiology and empowering students to advance sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship.

Ajay Prasanth Ramalingam received the Don C. Warren Genetics Scholarship. Ramalingam is a doctoral student from India working with Professors Ramasamy Perumal and Vara Prasad. His research aims to develop genomic prediction models for enhancing cold tolerance in sorghum. Additionally, he is working on developing trait-specific pearl millet parents to support hybrid seed production in Kansas.

Rishabh Singh received the Don C. Warren Genetics Scholarship. Singh is an outdoors enthusiast who started his journey with K-State as a research scholar after graduating with a bachelor's degree from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, India. His master’s project focuses on understanding the molecular basis of metabolism-based herbicide resistance in Palmer amaranth and optimizing metribuzin as an alternative option to control multiple herbicide-resistant pigweeds.

Lina Zhang received the Ron Wells Memorial Scholarship. Zhang is a doctoral student in agronomy who primarily studies the intricate relationship between climate change and the yield of pivotal food crops. She explores adaptive strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on crop production, specifically winter wheat and corn, by utilizing big data analysis techniques.

Martin Menendez-Coccoz received the Ron Wells Memorial Scholarship. Menendez-Coccoz is an agronomist from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is currently a master's student at K-State. His research focuses on estimating crop productivity using remote sensing and environmental variables.

Jovani de Oliveira Demarco received the Dale W. and Frances V. Rake Memorial Scholarship. Demarco is currently pursuing a master’s degree in agronomy with a focus on soil fertility. His research centers on optimizing phosphorus management in soybean systems, particularly through the integration of cover crops, phosphorus fertilizer placement and rates to enhance nutrient uptake and improve sustainability in agricultural practices.

“The department of agronomy is proud of all our graduate students who have been recognized with multiple prestigious awards from the College of Agriculture for their outstanding research and contributions to their respective fields in agronomy," said Raj Khosla, agronomy department head. "These awards are a testament to their hard work, creativity, and the high-quality education and mentorship they receive from faculty in agronomy.” 

Congratulations to the agronomy students who were awarded scholarships. All students who received scholarships will be formally recognized at the College of Agriculture’s Fall Graduation and Scholarship Celebration at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at 181 Hale Library.

Learn more about the scholarships and see all previous scholarship winners.

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