Graduate Student Directory

Alex Batson – Ph.D. (2022)
Dissertation Title: The genetic basis of pathogenicity to spinach of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae.

Tessa Belo – M.S. (Spring 2022)
Thesis Title:

Alec Blume – M.S. in Ag (Summer 2022)
Thesis Title: Impact of soil fumigants on potato microbial communities

Sam Chronert – Ph.D. (2022)
Dissertation Title:

Aidan Kendall – M.S. (Spring 2022)
Research Focus: Developing resource-efficient cider apple production systems.

Qianwen Lu – Ph.D. (Spring 2022)
Dissertation Title: Advancing Floricane Raspberry Nutrient Management in the Pacific Northwest.

Brenda Madrid – M.S. (2022)
Thesis Title:

Molly McIlquham – M.S. (Spring 2022)
Thesis Title: Calibrating Soil Health Metrics for Washington State’s Primary Wine Grape Growing Region.

Xuechun “May” Wang – M.S. (Spring 2022)
Thesis Title: Soil-biodegradable mulch in a double cropped strawberry and lettuce system and implications on splash dispersal of Botrytis cinerea.

Pinki Devi – Ph.D. (2021)
Dissertation Focus: Propagation methods to increase the grafting success of watermelon and rootstock resistance to Verticillium dahliae.

Cheyenne Sloan – M.S. (2021)
Thesis Title: Nitrogen Supply from Soil Organic Matter: Predictors and Implications for Nutrient Management in Northern Highbush Blueberry

Toby Una – M.S. (2021)
Thesis Title: Winter Cover Crop Suitability for Improved Soil Health in Northwestern Washington

Amit Bhasin – M.S. (2020)
Thesis Title: Evaluating and optimizing fertilizer sources/rates in Organic Blueberry production in central Washington.

Yixin Cai – M.S. (2020)
Thesis Title: Machine harvesting comparison and optimization of machine harvest intervals in fresh market blueberry.

Ryan Solemslie – M.S. (2020)
Thesis Title: Cold season tolerance and prevalence of seedling blights in sweet corn in the Columbia Basin of Washington.

Huan Zhang – Ph.D. (June 2020)
Dissertation Title: Studying the application of biodegradable mulches in tissue culture red raspberry.

Abigail Attavar – M.S. (Spring 2019)
Thesis Title: Testing the field germination of Green Leaf and Cos lettuce seeds in cold conditions, in four locations across the U.S.

Billie Juan Espejo – M.S. in Ag (2019)
Thesis Title: The development of bioassays to test antifungal activity of bacterial strains against Pythium aphanidermatum on cucumber

Weixin Gan – M.S. (2019)
Thesis Title: The growth conditions and cultivation management of tissue culture seedings of crabapple.

Yao Mu – M.S. in Ag (Spring 2019)
Thesis Title: Testing new crops for production potential in Northwest Washington.

Travis Alexander – Ph.D. (2018)
Dissertation Title: The postharvest quality implications of mechanically harvesting cider apples for growers and hard cider makers.

Fairuz Buajaila – Ph.D. (2018)
Dissertation 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.

Shuresh Ghimire – Ph.D. (2018)
Dissertation Title: Efficacy of different biodegradable mulches on pumpkin yield and quality, and mulch biodegradability in Northwest Washington.

Wiharti Purba – Ph.D. (Fall 2018)
Dissertation title:

Matthew Arrington – Ph.D. (Fall 2017)
Dissertation Title: Optimization of pollination and fruit set in blueberry: Flower morphology, alternative pollinators, and nutrient supplementation

Shannon Carmody – M.S. (2017)
Thesis Title: Management of the seedborne phase of light leaf spot (Cylindrosporium concentricum) and white leaf spot (Pseudocercosporella capsellae) in brassica crops.

Sahar Dabirian – M.S. (Spring 2017)
Thesis Title: Optimizing watermelon grafting to control Verticillium wilt in Washington.

Rachel Rudolph – Ph.D. (Fall 2017)
Dissertation Title: Management strategies for Phytophthora rubi andPratylenchus penetrans in floricane red raspberry in the Pacific Northwest

John Weber – M.S. (2017)
Thesis Title: Management of white mold in sunflower seed crops in the semi-arid Columbia Basin of central Washington.

Abby Beissinger – M.S. (Fall 2016)
Thesis Title: Proactive Approaches for Managing Potato virus Y in Western Washington.

Robin Taylor – M.S. (2016)
Thesis Title: Quantification of Food Policy Groups within the Puget Sound Region.

Kelly Ann Atterberry – M.S. (2015)
Thesis Title: Nutrition Education and School Garden Projects with K–12 Students to Promote Consumption of Dry Beans.

Brook Brouwer – Ph.D. (2015)
Dissertation Title: Plant breeding for regional food systems: investigating craft malt, disease resistance and production potential of barley and dry beans in western Washington.

Louisa Brouwer (neé Winkler) – Ph.D. (2015)
Dissertation Title: Building the genetic, agronomic and economic foundations for expansion of oat cultivation in western Washington.

Charlene Grahn – M.S. (2015)
Thesis Title: Direct market production of baby-leaf salad greens during spring and fall seasons in Western Washington.

Alexandra Valeria Swidergal – M.S. in Ag (Fall 2015)
Thesis Title: Techniques for Evaluating Verticillium Wilt Resistance in Rootstocks Potentially Useful for Tomato Grafting

Jesse Wimer – M.S. (2015)
Thesis Title: Grafting Watermelons to Manage Verticillium Wilt in Washington State.

Eric Christianson – M.S. (2014)
Thesis Title: Screening carrot germplasm for resistance to Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae.

Jeremy Cowan – Ph.D. (2014)
Dissertation Title: Impacts of High Tunnels and Bio-Degradable Mulch Systems on Tomato Yield and Quality.

Ziduan (Paul) Han – M.S. (2014)
Thesis Title: Assessing the damage potential of the root lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans on raspberry varieties.

Caitlin Price Youngquist – Ph.D. (2014)
Dissertation Title: Agricultural use and community acceptance of biosolids compost produced at a rural waste water treatment plant.

Ana Vida Alcala – Ph.D. (2013)
Dissertation Title: Management of Damping-off in Organic Vegetable Production in the Pacific Northwest.

Charles Coslor – M.S. (2013)
Thesis Title: Effects of Neonicotinoids on Adult and Immature Drosophila suzukii in the Laboratory and in an Experimental Blueberry Field.

Jeffery Endelman – Ph.D. (2013)
Dissertation Title: Advances in Barley Genomics: Association analysis, Breeding values, and Consensus mapping.

Emily Gatch – Ph.D. (2013)
Dissertation Title: Increasing the Capacity for Spinach Seed Production in the United States by Promoting Soil Suppression of Fusarium Wilt.

Karen Hills – Ph.D. (2013)
Dissertation Title: Improvement of Small Grains Grown in Western Washington.

Amy Salamone – M.S. (2013)
Thesis Title: Effects of Temporary Flooding Rotations on Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 and on Soil Bacterial Communities in Western Washington

Yushan (Sherry) Duan – M.S. (2012)
Thesis Title: Benefits of Cane Burning to Red Raspberry in the Pacific Northwest.

Sacha Johnson – M.S. (2012)
Thesis Title: Grafting Vegetables for Resistance to Verticillium dahliae.

Lucas Patzek – Ph.D. (2012)
Dissertation Title: Root Disease and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Cereal/Vegetable Production Systems in Washington.

Marianne Powell – M.S. (2012)
Thesis Title: Biodegradable Mulches for Specialty Crops Produced Under Protective Covers.

Callie Bolton – M.S. (2011)
Thesis Title: Organic Weed Control in a Newly Established Vineyard.

Jessica Gigot – Ph.D.
Dissertation Title: Root Health Management in Raspberries (Ph.D., 2011)
Thesis Title: Transmission of Phytophthora infestans on Volunteer Potato Tubers (M.S., 2006)

Jennifer Niem – M.S. (2011)
Thesis Title: Effects of flooding on survival of Sclerotinia and Verticillium in potato field soils of western Washington.

Jamie Cummings – M.S. (2007)
Thesis Title: Evaluation of organic seed treatments for control of seedling blight/damping-off pathogens of spinach.

Pablo Hernandez-Perez – M.S. (2005)
Thesis Title: Management of seedborne Stemphylium botryosum and Cladosporium variabile causing leaf spot of spinach seed crops in western Washington.