AgAccess Student Achievement Assistants: Academic Year 2024-2025

Victor is a doctoral student who is passionate about soccer and engaging with the natural world.

• Major: Agricultural and Biological Engineering (Ph.D. student
• Previous degree(s): Agricultural and Environmental Engineering (M.S.), Agricultural Engineering (B.S.).
• Research focus: Catalyst synthesis from agro-wastes, waste to energy technology, wastewater treatment, and environmental sustainability.
• Loves: Playing soccer, listening to classical music, nature appreciation, and traveling.
• Dislikes: dishonesty, gossip, laziness, and injustice.

Fernando is a doctoral student who loves to conduct research on plant pathogenic bacteria and help others pursue careers in STEM.

• Major: Plant Pathology (dual title program in Microbiome Sciences)
• Previous degree(s): Plant Biotechnology (M.S.), Agricultural Engineering (B.S.)
• Research focus: The ecological and evolutionary dynamics of plant pathogenic bacteria and their interactions with plant hosts. The Anna Karenina principle applied to dysbiosis in plant microbiomes.
• Loves: Bacteria, swimming, cooking and baking, videogames, TV shows, helping others pursue scientific careers
• Dislikes: Being overwhelmed with technical errors when coding, repetitive meals, sudden changes in the weather

Maya is a master’s student in ecology who investigates ecosystems within agricultural systems. You can find her outside hiking or indoors enjoying a good cup of matcha.

• Major: Ecology (M.S. Candidate)
• Previous degree(s): Biology (B.A.), Minor - Biochemistry
• Research focus: Ecology of agricultural systems, sustainable agriculture management strategies, soil/plant nutrient cycling.
• Loves: Coffee/matcha, thrifting, hiking, tennis, studio Ghibli movies
• Dislikes: Talking to strangers on the phone, cold/windy weather, cramming for an exam

Emma is a newly minted PhD student studying Education, Development and Community Engagement, working with Keystone Collective Partnerships and Penn State Outreach.

• Program: Education, Development and Community Engagement.
• Previous degree(s): BioRenewable Systems (M.S); Environmental Resource Management (B.S.); Minors - Sustainability Leadership, Watershed and Water Resources, International Agriculture, English
• Research focus: To be determined.
• Loves: her cat (Roary), spending time with friends, reading, the leaves in the fall, shore birds, cycling classes with really good music, romance shows, Tears of the Kingdom
• Dislikes: test anxiety, not checking the weather before she leaves the house, realizing that she forgot to pack a laptop charger