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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

Students

Nc State's student Agronomy Club poses outside Williams Hall.

Mar 17, 2025

Student Competition Teams Provide Real-World Experience

NC State University’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences is home to several competitive student teams that provide hands-on learning experiences, networking opportunities, and career-building skills.  Through national and regional competitions,… 
NC State graduate student Balihar Kaur evaluates zoysiagrass varieties in a greenhouse.

Dec 6, 2024

Student Spotlight Interview: Balihar Kaur

Meet Balihar Kaur, a crop science PhD student advancing zoysiagrass breeding to improve seed yield and sustainability. Recently, she showcased her skills by winning the beginner track at the 2024 N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative Hackathon, where she applied AI to solve real-world agricultural challenges. 
Three people making a presentation in front of a poster that says "Hackathon"

Oct 24, 2024

Creating Cutting-Edge Ag Tech

Nearly 50 NC State University undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars spent a fall weekend competing in the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s fourth annual Hackathon, taking on real-world agricultural technology… 
two women stand in front of a mac truck and grain silo

Sep 17, 2024

Students Explore New Fields on Science for Success Tour

NC State students were among those who hit the road for an up-close look at agriculture in the mid-Atlantic, from traditional Amish farming to industrial soybean processing. 
caden noonkester kicking a football during a football game

Sep 4, 2024

Fielding Success

Recent CALS grad Caden Noonkester’s unlikely rise as NC State’s starting punter is as surprising to him as it is to anyone.  
Brynna Bruxellas poses with other student poster winners at an AI in Agriculture conference.

Jun 14, 2024

Elevating AI for Tech-Driven Turfgrass

Every Crop and Soil Sciences student follows their own path. Brynna Bruxellas' started using GIS to find a path to no roads. 
NC State 2024 HortPack team competed in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition in Provo, Utah.

Apr 19, 2024

HortPack competes in the “Landscape Olympics”

Over spring break the HortPack, went to Provo, Utah to participate in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC) and take part in a three-day contest of various events that range from construction cost estimating, irrigation troubleshooting, backhoe operation, and plant identification. 
NC State agroecology student Jaleel Hewitt harvest sweetpotatoes in the field.

Apr 8, 2024

Jaleel Hewitt: Growing Caribbean Dreams

Jaleel Hewitt is a senior majoring in agroecology with big plans for sustainable agriculture in the Caribbean starting with his family farm in Jamaica. 

Mar 18, 2024

Soil Science Ph.D. Student Janson Wins 2023 Women In Science Prize

Soil may be the most undervalued natural resource on Earth. But NC State soil science graduate student Julia Janson has elevated its visibility by winning one of The Story Exchange’s 2023 Women in Science Incentive Prizes for her research on saltwater-affected soils.  
NC State freshman Sarah Bailey accepts a first place award at the 2023 Eastern Collegiate Soil Judging Competition.

Nov 1, 2023

Sarah Bailey: Fresh From the Pit

Sarah Bailey is a freshman majoring in soil science, who just won first place in college soil judging -- her first time out.