{"id":96931,"date":"2025-03-15T07:36:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-15T11:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/news\/the-heart-of-the-n-c-psi-suhanee-anand-and-olivia-mccormack\/"},"modified":"2025-03-15T07:36:44","modified_gmt":"2025-03-15T11:36:44","slug":"the-heart-of-the-n-c-psi-suhanee-anand-and-olivia-mccormack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/news\/the-heart-of-the-n-c-psi-suhanee-anand-and-olivia-mccormack\/","title":{"rendered":"The Heart of the N.C. PSI: Suhanee Anand and Olivia McCormack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>Editor\u2019s Note: <\/em><\/strong><em>As we gear up for NC&#160;State\u2019s <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/dayofgiving.ncsu.edu\/\"><em>2025 Day of Giving<\/em><\/a><em> on March 26, the N.C. PSI is highlighting passion-inspired, donor-fueled staff, students and others behind our plant sciences research, extension and workforce development efforts. This is the fifth and final story in the series.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p>As they open doors to the plant sciences for hundreds of middle and high school students, two North Carolina State University undergraduates are also gaining skills that will equip them for their own future careers in sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>As N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative interns, Suhanee Anand and Olivia McCormack have been indispensable in helping carry out the work of the initiative\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/education\/demo-lab\/\">Demo Lab<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Led by Sarah Dinger, program manager for education and extension outreach, the Demo Lab showcases ongoing N.C. PSI research projects to the public and serves as a hands-on educational area for students, teachers, extension agents and others. <\/p>\n\n\n<p>In 2023-24, the lab welcomed about 1,000 K-12 students to the university\u2019s Plant Sciences Building.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>This year, Suhanee and McCormack, both undergraduates in the <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\">College of Agriculture and Life Sciences<\/a>, have gained experience in science education programming for middle and high school students.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<p>They recently shared more about their paths to plant sciences, their career goals, and the impact of their internships.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/03\/1686101423104.jpg\" alt=\"Suhanee Anand\" class=\"wp-image-78471\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Anand: \u2018Every time I walk into the Plant Sciences Building, I know I\u2019ll learn something new.\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p>When Anand was growing up in Cary, her family had a springtime ritual of filling her garden with annual vegetables and herbs and repotting perennial flowers. She developed a penchant for plants that blossomed in high school as horticulture classes and FFA involvement led her to her realize that she could make plants a career and, along the way, help humankind flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Now a sophomore in the departments of <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/\">Horticultural Science<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/plant-and-microbial\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/plant-and-microbial\">Plant and Microbial Biology<\/a>, Anand is exploring ways to make agriculture more sustainable. She\u2019s interested in both teaching and research and is intrigued with the idea of conducting botanical research with NASA.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-red-400-text-color\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">It was the first time I had worked with so many students at one time, and it was inspiring to see their energy and enthusiasm.\u201d <\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<p>\u201cExploring how plants grow in different environments, especially ones that we haven\u2019t seen would be my dream,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Anand says her internship has not only helped deepen her knowledge of plants, it\u2019s also been \u201ca blast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cEvery time I walk into the Plant Sciences Building, I know I\u2019ll learn something new, whether it be how to make a gravity sensor or how trichomes produce secondary metabolites.\u00a0I am then able to immediately share this knowledge with others through our outreach efforts,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cInteraction with students not only improves my communication skills but also brings me fulfillment as I watch their interest in science grow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Co-leading a plant propagation lab for Plant Science Outreach Day was particularly gratifying. The event drew nearly 100 students and parents to the Plant Sciences Building.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was the first time I had worked with so many students at one time, and it was inspiring to see their energy and enthusiasm,\u201d Anand recounts. \u201cEven though it was a busy day, it was rewarding to see so many students show genuine interest in our field.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy hope is to inspire the next generation of agricultural leaders in North Carolina and our nation,\u201d she adds. \u201cExposing students to agriculture is crucial, because it is our future. Getting to do that with PSI has truly been an experience I wouldn\u2019t trade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/03\/mccormack-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"Olivia McCormack\n\" class=\"wp-image-78472\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>McCormack: \u201cMy time at the PSI has opened my eyes to the agricultural world.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<p>McCormack, of Asheville, came to NC&#160;State with little knowledge of plant sciences and agriculture, but her internship with the N.C. PSI has opened her eyes to their importance and helped shape her educational and career goals.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>To fulfill an elective toward a degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/molecular-and-structural-biochemistry\/\">biochemistry<\/a>, McCormack had enrolled in a plant physiology class when she learned about the PSI internship opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cSince I enjoy working with kids, I decided to apply,\u201d she says. \u201cCollaborating with Sarah in the Demo Lab has provided me with real-world experiences in plant sciences beyond the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-red-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Through exposure to the N.C. PSI\u2019s research and collaboration with farmers, I have seen how deeply science is intertwined with agriculture.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n<p>The internship has given McCormack the chance to design several plant science-based protocols for teachers and to engage students directly in hands-on science activities. And it provided her with the motivation to add a second major in <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/biological-and-agriculture-engineering\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/biological-and-agriculture-engineering\">biological and agricultural engineering<\/a> and consider a career that would advance sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cI never realized just how essential agriculture was to \u2026 our state or how much research it requires,\u201d McCormack says. \u201cThrough exposure to the N.C. PSI\u2019s research and collaboration with farmers, I have seen how deeply science is intertwined with agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<p>She also says the experience has introduced her to aspects of extension that she\u2019d not known about.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cStaying involved with PSI has kept me inspired,\u201d she says, \u201cand shown me that there\u2019s a clear path to pursuing the work I want to do.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>This post was <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/news\/the-heart-of-the-n-c-psi-suhanee-anand-and-olivia-mccormack\/\">originally published<\/a> in Plant Sciences Initiative.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong><em>Editor\u2019s Note: <\/em><\/strong><em>As we gear up for NC State\u2019s <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/dayofgiving.ncsu.edu\/\"><em>2025 Day of Giving<\/em><\/a><em> on March 26, the N.C. PSI is highlighting passion-inspired, donor-fueled staff, students and others behind our plant sciences research, extension and workforce development efforts. This is the fifth and final story in the series.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As they open doors to the plant sciences for hundreds of middle and high school students, two North Carolina State University undergraduates are also gaining skills that will equip them for their own future careers in sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative interns, Suhanee Anand and Olivia McCormack have been indispensable in helping carry out the work of the initiative\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/education\/demo-lab\/\">Demo Lab<\/a>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Led by Sarah Dinger, program manager for education and extension outreach, the Demo Lab showcases ongoing N.C. PSI research projects to the public and serves as a hands-on educational area for students, teachers, extension agents and others. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In 2023-24, the lab welcomed about 1,000 K-12 students to the university\u2019s Plant Sciences Building.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This year, Suhanee and McCormack, both undergraduates in the <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\">College of Agriculture and Life Sciences<\/a>, have gained experience in science education programming for middle and high school students.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>They recently shared more about their paths to plant sciences, their career goals, and the impact of their internships.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":78471,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/03\/1686101423104.jpg\" alt=\"Suhanee Anand\" class=\"wp-image-78471\" \/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2><strong>Anand: \u2018Every time I walk into the Plant Sciences Building, I know I\u2019ll learn something new.\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When Anand was growing up in Cary, her family had a springtime ritual of filling her garden with annual vegetables and herbs and repotting perennial flowers. She developed a penchant for plants that blossomed in high school as horticulture classes and FFA involvement led her to her realize that she could make plants a career and, along the way, help humankind flourish.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Now a sophomore in the departments of <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/\">Horticultural Science<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/plant-and-microbial\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/plant-and-microbial\">Plant and Microbial Biology<\/a>, Anand is exploring ways to make agriculture more sustainable. She\u2019s interested in both teaching and research and is intrigued with the idea of conducting botanical research with NASA.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\u201cIt was the first time I had worked with so many students at one time, and it was inspiring to see their energy and enthusiasm.\u201d \"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-red-400-text-color\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">It was the first time I had worked with so many students at one time, and it was inspiring to see their energy and enthusiasm.\u201d <\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cExploring how plants grow in different environments, especially ones that we haven\u2019t seen would be my dream,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Anand says her internship has not only helped deepen her knowledge of plants, it\u2019s also been \u201ca blast.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cEvery time I walk into the Plant Sciences Building, I know I\u2019ll learn something new, whether it be how to make a gravity sensor or how trichomes produce secondary metabolites.\u00a0I am then able to immediately share this knowledge with others through our outreach efforts,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cInteraction with students not only improves my communication skills but also brings me fulfillment as I watch their interest in science grow.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Co-leading a plant propagation lab for Plant Science Outreach Day was particularly gratifying. The event drew nearly 100 students and parents to the Plant Sciences Building.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIt was the first time I had worked with so many students at one time, and it was inspiring to see their energy and enthusiasm,\u201d Anand recounts. \u201cEven though it was a busy day, it was rewarding to see so many students show genuine interest in our field.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cMy hope is to inspire the next generation of agricultural leaders in North Carolina and our nation,\u201d she adds. \u201cExposing students to agriculture is crucial, because it is our future. Getting to do that with PSI has truly been an experience I wouldn\u2019t trade.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":78472,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2025\/03\/mccormack-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"Olivia McCormack\n\" class=\"wp-image-78472\" \/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2><strong>McCormack: \u201cMy time at the PSI has opened my eyes to the agricultural world.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>McCormack, of Asheville, came to NC State with little knowledge of plant sciences and agriculture, but her internship with the N.C. PSI has opened her eyes to their importance and helped shape her educational and career goals.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>To fulfill an elective toward a degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/molecular-and-structural-biochemistry\/\">biochemistry<\/a>, McCormack had enrolled in a plant physiology class when she learned about the PSI internship opportunity.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cSince I enjoy working with kids, I decided to apply,\u201d she says. \u201cCollaborating with Sarah in the Demo Lab has provided me with real-world experiences in plant sciences beyond the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\u201cThrough exposure to the N.C. PSI\u2019s research and collaboration with farmers, I have seen how deeply science is intertwined with agriculture.\u201d\"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-red-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Through exposure to the N.C. PSI\u2019s research and collaboration with farmers, I have seen how deeply science is intertwined with agriculture.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The internship has given McCormack the chance to design several plant science-based protocols for teachers and to engage students directly in hands-on science activities. And it provided her with the motivation to add a second major in <a href=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/biological-and-agriculture-engineering\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/biological-and-agriculture-engineering\">biological and agricultural engineering<\/a> and consider a career that would advance sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI never realized just how essential agriculture was to \u2026 our state or how much research it requires,\u201d McCormack says. \u201cThrough exposure to the N.C. PSI\u2019s research and collaboration with farmers, I have seen how deeply science is intertwined with agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>She also says the experience has introduced her to aspects of extension that she\u2019d not known about.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cStaying involved with PSI has kept me inspired,\u201d she says, \u201cand shown me that there\u2019s a clear path to pursuing the work I want to do.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Through N.C. PSI internships, two NC State undergraduates not only gain skills to prepare them for plant sciences careers, they also inspire a next generation to follow suit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":96932,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"ncstate_wire","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[238],"class_list":["post-96931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nc-state","tag-_from-newswire-collection-21"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96931"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96931\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/horticultural-science\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}