Graduate student winners of the 2021 Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture Research Symposium have been announced. The annual event brings together faculty and students from across the Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture's many departments to share the results of their research or pitch ideas for future projects. The event usually pairs poster sessions where students present their work and answer questions with a keynote speaker. However, in light of the current circumstances, this year the event was held virtually. In lieu of a poster session, students were tasked with developing a short "three-minute thesis" style recorded presentation that would be played during the Symposium. Many provided a recorded description of their project with an accompanying slide show that included videos, maps, and data. Students were judged based both on the content of their presentation and how they responded to the judge's follow-up questions in virtual break-out rooms.

The following students were recognized for their outstanding contributions to this year's symposium:

Ph.D.:

First place: Chris Morris, The effects of collective trauma on Iowa farmers
Second place: Derek Franklin, Nutrient reduction strategy development and implementation in the UMRB: A multi-state comparative case study
Third place: Samuel Ikendi, Progress towards nutrition security among infants and children through nutrition education approach in rural Uganda

MS:
First place: Derrick Kapayou, The ISU Three Sisters intercropping project
Second place: Anne Carey,  Integrating poultry with vegetables and cover crops in organic production systems
Third place (tie): Emma Bravard, Application of multi-state financial data for use with the USDA Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework
Third place (tie): Kevin Ellis,  The role of ecosystem services from urban agriculture in Austin, Texas

Congratulations to these students and to all who worked hard to put together presentations that highlight the quality research that is being done on sustainable agriculture topics across the campus of Iowa State University.

View the 2021 Graduate Program in Sustainable Agriculture Research Symposium here.