Digital Agriculture Technologies to Improve Nitrogen Management
Students will engage in research activities related to developing novel nitrogen management decision-support systems for Nebraska using digital agriculture technologies. They will also have the chance to participate in experiments with UNL’s Nebraska On-Farm Research Network evaluating different innovative digital agriculture nitrogen management approaches.
Guillermo Balboa
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Understanding Crop, Soil and Livestock Management in Diversified Cropping Systems
Students will engage with diversified cropping systems agronomy projects, including a primary project focused on perennial grains, as well as support for cover crop and forage crops with livestock research. These projects will include the opportunity to design outreach activities as well as to gain better understanding of plant, soil and livestock outcomes, as well as ecosystem benefits and profitability.
Andrea Basche
Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Soil Health Assessment and Carbon Stocks Quantification
Students will engage in a project focused on evaluating key indicators of soil health and quantifying carbon stocks to understand their relationships and implications for sustainable agricultural practices.
S. Carolina Córdova
Assistant Professor and Statewide Soil Health Specialist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Ariel Freidenreich
Soil Health and Nutrient Cycling
Students will participate in research projects evaluating a range of management practices within organic and conventional agricultural systems. These projects will involve measuring soil health indicators, including nutrient dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions.
Ariel Freidenreich
USDA-ARS Research Soil Scientist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Genetic Improvement of Grain Quality Traits
Students will participate in activities related to disease resistance screening, pest resistance, fall drought tolerance, and phenomic selection for grain quality traits.
Katherine Frels
Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Integrated Weed Management
Students will participate in research and extension programs focused on integrated management of herbicide-resistant weeds in corn and soybean production systems. Research projects will involve evaluating and integrating chemical and non-chemical weed management strategies, including herbicide programs, cover crops, and precision-targeted herbicide applications. Students will gain hands-on experience in field and greenhouse research, data collection and analysis, and the assessment of innovative technologies aimed at improving weed control efficacy while reducing herbicide use and input costs. These projects will contribute to the development of sustainable and economically viable weed management practices for crop production systems.
Amit Jhala
Associate Department Head, Professor, Extension Weed Management Specialist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Grazing as a Restoration Tool in Nebraska’s Eastern Saline Wetlands
Students will contribute to research evaluating grazing and herbicide treatments for restoring eastern Nebraska saline wetlands. Students will collect plant community and vegetation structure data and examine how management treatments affect native vegetation, invasive plants, and habitat heterogeneity.
Nic McMillan
Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Sustainable Cropping Systems
Participate in multiple field experiments that include objectives on soil carbon, yield potential, soil greenhouse gas emissions, bioenergy cropping systems, cover crops, integrated crop-livestock systems, and diversified cropping systems. Students will learn about sustainable cropping systems and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions from different management systems.
Marty R. Schmer
USDA-ARS Research Agronomist and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Integrating Ecosystem Services with Local Food Production
Plants serve important functions including food production, support of pollinators and other wildlife, improvement of water quality, and mitigation of climate change. In this project students will engage with mixed production of food, ornamental, and pollinator plants to assist in determining how these plants achieve these critical ecosystem functions.
Christian Stephenson
Assistant Professor of Practice, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Rangeland Ecology and Resilience
Contribute to collaborative research at UNL grasslands, including sites in the Nebraska Sandhills, one of the world's largest remaining grassland landscapes. Within a large supporting team, students will design and lead research that furthers understanding of social-ecological resilience, with opportunities to learn and use digital tools and technologies.
Daniel Uden
Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Local Food Production Systems and Technologies
The students will contribute to research and development of novel production systems and technologies that reduce labor and plastic waste and increase water and nitrogen efficiency on urban food production.
Sam Wortman
Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture