Symposium puts student research on display

University of Delaware students and post-docs presented their research to faculty and staff at the 2022 edition of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) Research Symposium.

First, in a virtual component, presenters provided succinct and compelling short video poster presentations via the Forager One platform. After reviewing submissions from a field of 28, faculty judges invited finalists to give live, in-person presentations in the Townsend Hall Commons. The symposium’s categories mirrored the college’s five unique strengths, which are:

• Climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation;
• Human dimensions of food, agriculture and natural resources;
• Sustainable food systems, landscapes and ecosystems;
• Genetics and genomics for plant, animal and ecosystem improvement; and
• One Health intersections among animal, plant, human and ecosystem health.

“Our symposium was a wonderful reminder of the amazing work our students, post-docs, research staff and faculty do in advancing science in the public interest, a key mission for our land-grant university,” highlighted Eric Wommack, deputy dean and associate dean for research and graduate education. “Sessions on each CANR Unique Strength area were thought-provoking and clearly demonstrated the impactful research work we do. I couldn’t be prouder of the college.”

The experience of presenting research to a live audience was a positive one for both graduate and undergraduate students.

“The CANR Research Symposium is always well-organized and features posters and talks from a wide range of disciplines,” emphasized Sean Fettrow, a Ph.D. student in plant and soil sciences. “This allows you to not only learn about new topics, but also to receive feedback on your research from a variety of perspectives. I recommend presenting research at next year’s CANR Symposium not only to learn something new about other research, but to learn something new about your research as well.”

“I have been able to see the research process in action on real world projects outside of the classroom, while connecting and collaborating with professors and other students,” added senior Laura Taylor, a double major in environmental and resources economics in CANR and economics in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. “This experience has been one of my favorite involvements at the University of Delaware, and I have truly enjoyed being able to have the opportunity to present my research findings among so many talented presenters.”

2022 awardees

Climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation

• 1st – Sean Fettrow: Fe oxide control on lateral exchange of carbon between salt marsh sediment and the tidal channel
• 2nd – Amanda Crandall: Impacts of climate and anthropogenic change on migrant stopover using weather surveillance radar

Human dimensions of food, agriculture and natural resources

• 1st – Laura Taylor: Factors influencing use of residential stormwater practices in Delaware and Pennsylvania
• 2nd – Polina Dineva: Community adaptation to climate risks: Understanding decision making within home buyouts
• 3rd – Michelle Eshleman: Migration pathways of juvenile eastern towhees

Sustainable food systems, landscapes and ecosystems

• 1st – Nick Farro: Evaluation of different litter amendments to control ammonia emission from poultry
• 2nd – Emily Kennebeck: The role of far-red light in stress responses of leafy greens to elevated CO2

Genetics and genomics for plant, animal and ecosystem improvement

• 1st – Kasey Hobert: Comparing the equine protozoa community based on keeper status
• 2nd – Rachel Keown: Novel viral DNA polymerases from metagenomes reveal strand displacing biochemical phenotypes

One Health intersections among animal, plant, human and ecosystem health

• 1st – Liang-en Yu: Delayed post-hatch feeding alters intestinal epithelial stem cells activities, intestinal epithelial population and permeability in broiler chickens
• 2nd – Xiaojing Liu: Effects of delayed sealing and chemical additives on fermentation of alfalfa silage
• 3rd – Matthew Hardy: A remote sensing and radio telemetry biosecurity mechanism for the poultry industry