Summer Institute
Agriculture and natural resources summer institute research experience
The University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) is offering summer research and education experiences to undergraduates (both UD and non-UD students) who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in the agricultural, natural resources, or life sciences. During the ten-week Summer Institute, students will be paired with CANR researchers on projects that will provide “real-world” experiences in scientific careers. Participants have the opportunity to develop a project, collect and analyze data, and present their results at a campus-wide summer symposium.
Participation in the Summer Institute is awarded through a competitive application process. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are encouraged to apply, particularly those from colleges and universities other than UD. The Summer Institute seeks diversity among its participants and thus particularly encourages students from underrepresented groups in STEM to apply including first-generation college students, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and underrepresented minorities.
The Summer Institute will be held on the University of Delaware campus in Newark, Delaware from June 3 through August 8. Students will each receive a $4,500 stipend, $500 for research (to be spent with a faculty mentor) and can be reimbursed (up to $500) for round-trip travel to participate in the program. Additionally, housing in University residence halls will be provided, if needed.
Applications will be accepted until March 20, 2024.
Administrative Assistant
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
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Kali Kniel leads the charge in safe food practices globally
April 18, 2024 | Written by Nya Wynn -
Recovering the coast
April 16, 2024 | Written by Molly Schafer -
Reviving bobwhite quail
April 11, 2024 | Written by Nya Wynn
Liam Smith was advised by Dr. Behnam Abasht in UD's department of animal and food sciences.
School: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Project: A fresh look at transcriptomic data from Wooden Breast affected and unaffected chickens
Adelle Shealy was advised by Dr. Changqing Wu in UD's department of animal and food sciences.
School: UD / Major: Food Science
Project: The impacts of S/G ratios on antioxidant activities of lignin depolymerization products
Julianna Cox was advised by Dr. Hong Li in UD's department of animal and food sciences.
School: Mississippi Valley State University / Major: Chemistry
Project: Persistence and Transfer of E. coli TVS 355: A Study for Produce Safety.
Carmen Smith was advised by Dr. Kali Kniel in UD's department of animal and food sciences.
School: California Polytechnic State University / Major: Food Science
Project: Persistence and Transfer of E. coli TVS 355: A Study for Produce Safety.
Nicole Henry was advised by Dr. Stacey Chirnside in UD's department of entomology and wildlife ecology.
School: Millersville University of Pennsylvania / Major: Biology/Chemistry
Project: Monitoring Fungal Enzyme Activity during Mycoremediation of Bacteria in Animal Waste Streams.
Justine Berina was advised by Dr. Shreeram Inamdar in UD's department of plant and soil science.
School: The College of Wooster / Major: Geology
Project: Unlisted.
Patrick Carney was advised by Dr. Doug Tallamy in UD's department of entomology and wildlife ecology.
School: UD / Major: Entomology and Wildlife Ecology
Project: Quantifying the Impact of Reforestation Strategies on Biodiversity.
Amy Demeter was advised by Dr. Amy Biddle in UD's department of animal and food sciences.
School: UD / Major: Animal and Food Sciences
Project: Optimization of a method for collecting colonocytes from equine fecal samples as a noninvasive host sampling method.
Rashantai Miller was advised by Dr. Randy Wisser in UD's department of plant and soil sciences.
School: Saint Augustine's University / Major: Biology
Project: Untitled
Florence Fields was advised by Dr. Angelia Seyfferth in UD's department of plant and soil sciences.
School: Saint Augustine's University / Major: Biology
Project: Impacts of Si on Chlorophyll Content of Rice Tissues
Students who participated in the 2018 Summer Institute were Nikhil Chari (University of California – Berkeley), Victoria Dortenzio (University of Delaware), Gisselle Garcia (University of Delaware), Susannah Halligan (University of Delaware), and Tynasia Milfort (St. Augustine’s University).
Nikhil Chari was advised by Dr. Angelia Seyfferth in UD’s Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences.
School: University of California – Berkeley / Major: chemical biology
Project: Impacts of Silicon on Arsenic Dynamics in Flooded Rice Paddy Soil
Victoria Dortenzio was advised by Dr. Carl Schmidt in UD’s Dept. of Animal and Food Sciences.
School: UD / Major: pre-veterinary animal biosciences
Project: HyLine Layers
Gisselle Garcia was advised by Dr. Amy Biddle in UD’s Dept. of Animal and Food Sciences.
School: UD / Major: pre-veterinary animal biosciences
Project: An In Vitro Analysis of the Effects of Firocoxib on the Equine Gastric Microbiome
Susannah Halligan was advised by Dr. Jeff Buler in UD’s Dept. of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology.
School: UD / Major: wildlife ecology
Project: The Delaware Waterfowl Tracker
Tynasia Milfort was advised by Dr. Mark Parcells in UD’s Dept. of Animal and Food Sciences.
School: St. Augustine’s University / Major: biology
Project: Cloning and Expression of the Chicken LRRFIP1 Homolog and Its Role in Innate Sensing of Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) Infection
Students selected for the 2017 program were Mikaela Carty, Alexandra Cole, Darielle Lewis-Sanders, Danielle Mikolajewski, and Briana Young.
The following information pertains to the time of their participation in the Summer Institute.
Mikaela Carty was advised by Dr. Angelia Seyfferth in UD’s Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences.
School: Wesleyan University / Major: molecular biology and biochemistry
Project: Changes in Si Plant Availability in Rice Paddy Soil Due to Rice Residue Incorporation and Three Years of Rice Growth
Alexandra Cole was advised by Dr. Leah Palm-Forster in UD’s Dept. of Applied Economics and Statistics.
School: Northern Arizona University / Major: environmental science
Project: Civic Agriculture: Finding Marketing Strategies for Community Gardens
Darielle Lewis-Sanders was advised by Dr. Calvin Keeler in UD’s Dept. of Animal and Food Sciences.
School: Spelman College / Major: biology
Project: Cloning and Expression of Avian Genes
Danielle Mikolajewski was advised by Dr. Nicole Donofrio in UD’s Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences.
School: UD / Major: plant science / environmental soil science
Project: Disruption of the Genome of Rice Blast to Identify Genes Involved in Production of Reactive Oxygen Species
Briana Young was advised by Dr. Kalmia Kniel in UD’s Dept. of Animal and Food Sciences.
School: Central Michigan University / Major: cultural and global studies
Project: Comparative Analysis of Multiple vs. Single Pass Filtration Techniques Using Zero-Valent Iron
Where have they gone since their time at the CANR Summer Institute?
| Yaqoob Thurston (2009) | In 5/2010 he was working on a MS in plant molecular genetics at Delaware State Univ. |
| Shakara Tyler (2009) | In 2/2011 she was working on a MS in ag and resource economics at Michigan State Univ. |
| Kishana (Williamson) Taylor (2009) | In 2/2013 she was finishing a MS in public health microbiology and emerging infectious disease at George Washington Univ. In 3/2016 she was working on a PhD in interdisciplinary biomedical sciences with a focus in disease ecology. |
| Rochelle Day (2010) | In 2/2013 she was finishing a DVM at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. |
| Kamedra McNeil (2010) | In 5/2012, she completed a BS in molecular biology. In early 2014 she finished a MS degree in computer information with a concentration in forensic sciences. In 11/2014 she was working for the US Dept of Forensic Science as a forensic science technician. |
| Shurnevia Strickland (2010) | In 5/2011 she was finishing a MS in animal science with UD CANR-ANFS’s Dr. Carl Schmidt. |
| Stephanie Chew (2011) | By 2/2013 she had done two internships with Dupont that led to her working within Health and Nutrition R&D at Dupont’s Waukesha, WI site. In 9/2015 she started a MS in animal biology at UC-Davis. |
| Bianca Morales (2011) | In 11/2014 she was working for American Energy Corporation as a commercial and residential energy auditor. |
| Walker Jones (2012) | In 7/2015 he completed a MS in agricultural and natural resource economics with UD CANR-APEC’s Dr. Kent Messer. In 6/2016 he started working as an agricultural marketing specialist for USDA-GIPSA in Aurora, CO. |
| Bianca Riddick (2012) | In 5/2016 she completed a MS in plant pathology with UD CANR-PLSC’s Dr. Nicole Donofrio. |
| Colleen McClatchy (2013) | In 5/2014 she completed her BS in Chemistry then took a job with Agilent Technologies. |
| Shyanne Miller (2013) | In 5/2017 she completed a MA in sustainable development from SIT (School for International Training) Graduate Institute (Vermont). Her specialization is policy advocacy and analysis. She has also worked with the Rodel Foundation of Delaware as policy fellow. |
| Michelle Paukett (2014) | In 5/2015 she completed two BS degrees as well as a minor, all from UD CANR, then started a MS at Texas A&M Univ. |
| Simone Jimenez (2015) | In 9/2017 she was working as a Biological Science Aid for USDA Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, Miami, FL. |