Four recent additions to NWREC will discuss their individual pathways to—and at—NWREC.

Laura Schulz grew up in Minnesota and earned her BS in Plant Science and BE in Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2023. She is pursuing a PhD in Horticulture advised by Dr. Carol Miles. Her research focuses on developing sweetpotato production guidelines for direct market farms in western Washington.

Nayab Gull hails from Punjab, Pakistan. She holds a MS in Crop Cultivation and Farming Systems from China Agricultural University, where she studied the effects of microplastic pollution in agroecosystems. Nayab joined WSU in 2023 as a PhD student in Soil Science co-advised by Drs. Deirdre Griffin LaHue and Lisa Wasko DeVetter. She is working on an interdisciplinary project focused on the impacts of soil-biodegradable plastic mulches on soil health and horticultural outcomes in strawberry systems.

Jordan White is originally from Arizona but moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in middle school. She received degrees in horticulture and urban agriculture, and sustainable food systems from the University of Idaho. While there, she ran the organic student farm club for two years growing organic veggies and flowers, and teaching other students how to grow their own food and how small-scale farms operate. Learning leadership skills was a great experience, and she realized she loved teaching! She worked at the Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center for a summer tending an organic orchard, sheep and chicken flock, and a market garden. She recently joined the Horticulture program as a master’s student working on sweet potatoes.

Cristina Ocaña Gallegos studied plant biotechnology at the University of Queensland (Aus.) and completed a master’s degree in crop science from Washington State University. She worked on quinoa for several years and currently works as a laboratory technician at NWREC, focusing on fungal pathogens of potatoes and blueberries. Her other academic interests include: agrobiodiversity, regenerative agriculture, food security and sustainable food production. In her free time, Cristina enjoys painting, climbing and spending time with her pets.