Graduate Student Directory
The Bread Lab
Dr. Stephen Jones, Crop and Soil Sciences
Merri Metcalfe – Ph.D. student
Reseach topic: Accessibility, quality, and affordability of grain-based products from Western Washington with an emphasis on making nutritional food more available within our communities.
Started: 2018
Entomology
Dr. Beverly Gerdeman, Entomology Department
Vegetable Horticulture
Dr. Carol Miles, Horticulture Department
Travis Alexander – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: The postharvest quality implications of mechanically harvesting cider apples for growers and hard cider makers.
Started: 2015
Bio
Abigail Attavar – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Testing the field germination of Green Leaf and Cos lettuce seeds in cold conditions, in four locations across the US.
Started: 2017
Bio
Fairuz Buajaila – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Comparing poultry manure to commercial mineral fertilizers for nutrition and fruit quality of grafted and non-grafted tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) in high tunnels.
Started: 2014
Bio
Pinki Devi – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Investigating propagation methods to increase the grafting success of watermelon, which will include screening potential rootstock for watermelon grafting.
Started: 2017
Bio
Shuresh Ghimire – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Efficacy of different biodegradable mulches on pumpkin yield and quality, and mulch biodegradability in Northwest Washington.
Started: 2015
Bio
Vegetable Pathology
Dr. Debra Ann Inglis, Plant Pathology Department
Vegetable Seed Pathology
Dr. Lindsey du Toit, Plant Pathology Department
Alex Batson – MS student
Thesis Title: Identification of effector genes for the spinach Fusarium wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae.
Started: Fall 2017
Bio
Billie Juan Espejo – MS student
Thesis Title: The development of bioassays to test antifungal activity of bacterial strains against Pythium aphanidermatum on cucumber
Started: 2017
Bio
Ryan Solemslie – MS student
Thesis Title: Cold season emergence, vigor, and seedling blight resistance screening in sweet corn.
Started: 2018
Bio
Kayla Spawton – Ph.D. student
Dissertation Title: The ecology and management of Stemphylium leaf spot of spinach.
Started: 2018
Bio
Small Fruit Horticulture
Dr. Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Horticulture Department
Amit Bhasin – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Evaluating and optimizing fertilizer sources/rates in Organic Blueberry production in central Washington.
Started: 2018
Bio
Weixin Gan – M.S. student
Thesis Title: The growth conditions and cultivation management of tissue culture seedings of crabapple.
Started: 2017
Bio
Qianwen Lu – M.S. student
Research topic: Blended and pelleted manure fertilizer in raspberry.
Started: 2018
Bio
Huan Zhang – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Studying the application of biodegradable mulches in tissue culture red raspberry.
Started: 2017
Bio
Weed Science
Dr. Timothy Miller, Crop and Soil Sciences Department
Completed Students
Ana Vida Alcala – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Management of Damping-off in Organic Vegetable Production in the Pacific Northwest.
Graduated: 2014
Matthew Arrington – Ph.D. student
Thesis title: Optimization of pollination and fruit set in blueberry: Flower morphology, alternative pollinators, and nutrient supplementation
Graduated: Fall 2017
Kelly Ann Atterberry – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Nutrition Education and School Garden Projects with K–12 Students to Promote Consumption of Dry Beans.
Graduated: 2015
Abby Beissinger – M.S. Student
Thesis Title:
Graduated: Fall 2016
Callie Bolton – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Organic Weed Control in a Newly Established Vineyard.
Graduated: 2011
Eric Christianson – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Screening carrot germplasm for resistance to Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae.
Graduated: 2014
Shannon Carmody – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Management of the seedborne phase of light leaf spot (Cylindrosporium concentricum) and white leaf spot (Pseudocercosporella capsellae) in brassica crops.
Graduated:
Charles Cosler – M.S. student
Thesis Title:
Graduated: 2012
Jeremy Cowan – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Impacts of High Tunnels and Bio-Degradable Mulch Systems on Tomato Yield and Quality.
Graduated: 2014
Jamie Cummings – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Evaluation of organic seed treatments for control of seedling blight/damping-off pathogens of spinach.
Graduated: 2007
Sahar Dabirian – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Optimizing watermelon grafting to control Verticillium wilt in Washington.
Graduated: Spring 2017
Yushan (Sherry) Duan – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Benefits of Cane Burning to Red Raspberry in the Pacific Northwest.
Graduated: 2012
Jeffery Endelman – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Advances in Barley Genomics: Association analysis, Breeding values, and Consensus mapping.
Graduated: 2013
Emily Gatch – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Increasing the Capacity for Spinach Seed Production in the United States by Promoting Soil Suppression of Fusarium Wilt.
Graduated: 2012
Jessica Gigot – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Root Health Management in Raspberries.
Graduated: 2012
Charlene Grahn – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Direct market production of baby-leaf salad greens during spring and fall seasons in Western Washington.
Graduated: 2015
Ziduan (Paul) Han – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Assessing the damage potential of the root lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans on raspberry varieties.
Graduated: 2014
Maxwell Handiseni – Ph.D. student
Title: Management of Rhizoctonia in onion and pea crops in the Columbia Basin of Washington.
Graduated:
Pablo Hernandez-Perez – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Management of seedborne Stemphylium botryosum and Cladosporium variabile causing leaf spot of spinach seed crops in western Washington.
Graduated: 2005
Karen Hills – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Improvement of Small Grains Grown in Western Washington.
Graduated: 2013
Steve Hinton – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Sustaining the Productivity of Native Estuarine Flora and Fauna in the Context of an Agricultural Landscape.
Graduated:
Sacha Johnson – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Grafting Vegetables for Resistance to Verticillium dahliae.
Graduated: 2012
Jennifer Niem – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Effects of flooding on survival of Sclerotinia and Verticillium in potato field soils of western Washington.
Graduated:
Lucas Patzek – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Root Disease and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Cereal/Vegetable Production Systems in Washington.
Graduated: 2012
Marianne Powell – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Biodegradable Mulches for Specialty Crops Produced Under Protective Covers.
Graduated: 2012
Rachel Rudolph – Ph.D. student
Thesis title: Management strategies for Phytophthora rubi andPratylenchus penetrans in floricane red raspberry in the Pacific Northwest
Graduated: Fall 2017
Amy Salamone – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title:
Graduated: 2015
Alexandra Valeria Swidergal – M.S. Student
Thesis Title:
Graduated: Fall 2015
Robin Taylor – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Quantification of Food Policy Groups within the Puget Sound Region.
Graduated:
John Weber – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Management of white mold in sunflower seed crops in the semi-arid Columbia Basin of central Washington.
Graduated:
Jesse Wimer – M.S. student
Thesis Title: Grafting Watermelons to Manage Verticillium Wilt in Washington State.
Graduated: 2015
Caitlin Price Youngquist – Ph.D. student
Thesis Title: Agricultural use and community acceptance of biosolids compost produced at a rural waste water treatment plant.
Graduated: 2014