Student Spotlight

Neva Grace Brescia stands in a horticultural greenhouse with flowering plants.

Apr 28, 2025

Student Spotlight: Neva Grace Brescia

Cultivating a Passion for Urban Agriculture With more than 350 students enrolled in our associate, undergraduate, and graduate programs, North Carolina State University’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences is…

Apr 18, 2025

Student Spotlight: Clancy Larmour

Fungi, Forests and Following Your Instincts With over 350 students in associate, undergraduate, and graduate programs, North Carolina State University’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences is a place where…

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.

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 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.

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.

Sep 18, 2023

Evelyn McAdam: Weaving the Fabric of Sustainable Agriculture

Evelyn McAdam, a junior Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems major, conducted a research fellowship in Amanda Cardoso’s crop physiology lab, researching flood response in fiber hemp.

Caden Noonkester punts at an NC State football game

Sep 6, 2023

Caden Noonkester: Agriculture Inside the 20

Caden Noonkester is an agronomy and agricultural business double major and NC State football starting punter who's starting to feel equally at home on football and cotton fields.

Oct 5, 2022

Connecting Field and Lab with an Eye Toward Extension

Duncan McSorley has spent the past year and a half interning in extension and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative on his way to some day becoming an extension specialist.

An NC State turfgrass student adjusts irrigation sprinklers

Mar 14, 2022

Student Spotlight: Antonio Tranquilino

Antonio Tranquilino is a two-year NC State student majoring in Turfgrass Management and Horticultural Science Management to multiply his landscape career prospects.