2025 Award Winner: Brosi Bradley

Brosi Bradley

• Research Technologist

• Email bxb258@psu.edu
• Office 814-429-9242

Full Bio for Brosi Bradley

Full Bio for Brosi Bradley

For more than a decade, Brosi has been a cornerstone of research excellence in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Her contributions span far beyond the typical expectations of a research technologist—she is a leader, a mentor, and the driving force behind some of our most complex and collaborative projects.

One of Brosi's signature achievements is her leadership of the Cover Crop Cocktails Experiment, a 32-acre, multi-departmental research site that has become a hub for innovation in sustainable agriculture. When we say "leadership," we mean Brosi makes key agronomic decisions, coordinates operations across numerous faculty teams, oversees multiple field sampling campaigns each year, conducts laboratory analyses, and manages the long-term data that underpins this work. Thanks to her meticulous data curation, we now have a decade of high-quality datasets—cover crop biomass, soil nitrogen, corn yield, and more—that have supported nine peer-reviewed publications, eight major grant proposals totaling $17 million, and countless graduate student projects.

Her impact is evident in the words of her colleagues: "Some people make the system work. Brosi is one of them." She is the thread that binds together a diverse network of researchers, ensuring that experiments complement rather than conflict, and that every student and faculty member has what they need to succeed.

Beyond research coordination, Brosi has been a champion of efficiency and sustainability. She was among the first in the college to participate in the My Green Lab program, implementing practices that reduce waste and energy use in laboratory operations. She has streamlined analytical methods, tested innovative farm equipment, and trained dozens of students in safe and effective research practices. Her leadership has made our labs greener, our processes faster, and our research stronger.

Brosi's influence extends well beyond the university. She has designed and delivered outreach programs for hundreds of farmers at field days, PASA conferences, and Ag Progress Days. She leads tours of long-term experiment sites, engages with stakeholder advisory boards, and builds relationships that connect Penn State research to real-world agricultural challenges. Her work has fostered collaborations with institutions across the country, contributing to highly cited papers and advancing national conversations on soil health and cover crop management.

Perhaps most importantly, Brosi is a mentor and a morale builder. She trains undergraduates and graduate students with patience and expertise, advocates for their success, and brings positivity to even the toughest days in the field. She has introduced mindfulness practices to her lab group and is known for creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

In short, Brosi Bradley exemplifies the very best of Penn State—technically skilled, deeply collaborative, and unwaveringly committed to advancing science and community. Her work has elevated research programs across the college and strengthened our land-grant mission in profound ways.