Agricultural Sciences Director's Report: Alumni Spotlights

Making Their Mark

Our alumni are capable of amazing things. Since the start of Agricultural Sciences in 2008, they have been making a difference in industries, governments, and lives. Here are just a few that have made an impact recently.

Alumni Spotlight

Alumna Gets Into the Weeds of Agroecosystems

Aleah Butler-Jones grew up loving the outdoors and experiencing the work and culture of farms in New Jersey, a passion that led her to pursue studying agriculture at Cornell. Now a Ph.D. candidate in horticulture, Aleah is expanding her ability to influence and aid crop producers as they fight the latest invasive plants threatening harvests today. 

After participating as an undergrad on the Cornell Weed Science Team, a group that competes on an international level to solve farming problems, her interest in these resilient organisms grew. As a doctoral candidate, her research now focuses on the study and management of the most difficult weeds, most notably the glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth. Palmer amaranth, a native weed to the U.S. Southwest and northern Mexico, is prolific and fast growing, and its recent presence in the Northeast is a real concern for local crop producers. Yield losses from this highly herbicide-resistant weed have been reported up to 91% in corn and 79% in soybeans, according to the USDA, making the need for solutions a priority,

Person in a red hair scarf using weeding equipment
person in a suit standing in front of a sign that reads feeding america

Adin Burwell '23 Food Justice

Adin works with Feeding America through the Congressional Hunger Center on various policies. Here, she specializes in child nutrition and is working on a brand new federal nutrition program. Thanks to her work, it is becoming easier for children to get access to the food they need—especially in the summer months, when many school age children struggle to get nutrition at home.

headshot of a smiling person with long light hair wearing a green cap

Fallon Lowe ’17, Food Production

Fallon is the senior director of agriculture at BrightFarms, a producer of lettuce that is locally sourced and grown without pesticides. Fallon is a trailblazer in the indoor farming industry, leading the company’s strategic projects to support grower development and produce top-quality, high yield crops.

headshot of a person in a blue winter cap

Ben Lehman '21, Next-Gen Farming

Ben is a consultant with Rodale Institute where he helps connect Midwest grain farmers with organic practices that work with their soils and management. Here, he helps farmers find the rotations, cover crops, and equipment that are the best fit for them, helping farmers catch up with new practices and capabilities.

Photo of a person with light hair and a black jacket

Ryan Amberg '13, Farm Supplies Marketing

Ryan is the marketing director for FELCO Tools, a high-quality Swiss tool brand focusing on horticultural products. You may see him at demo days and industry trade shows, helping connect farms to the tools they need, while continuing his work outside the company to connect farmers to local networking and financial resources.