Agricultural Sciences Director's Report: Student Research
From the Ground Floor
From their first year, students engage directly with local farms and research fields, solving real-world challenges like pest control, crop resilience, and sustainable practices. Here is a look at what just a couple of our students are achieving today.
Sarah Flanagan '26, Concentration: Sustainable Cropping Systems
Sarah has served as a research assistant with Cornell University’s Nutrient Management Spear Program (SPEAR) since her freshman year. One area she never anticipated working in is manure and soil health. Originally from Galloway, NJ, Sarah was drawn to Cornell after attending an environmental science magnet school.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Quirine Ketterings in the department of animal science, Sarah investigates how manure impacts soil microbial biomass, a potential alternative to traditional fertilizer. This past summer, she joined Cornell’s Soil Health and Climate Resiliency Team, getting her hands in the dirt and experiencing firsthand soil health and crop resilience.
Her studies are rooted in the sustainable cropping systems concentration, with minors in plant breeding and education. Eyeing a future in agricultural education or plant breeding, Sarah plans to pursue graduate studies in plant breeding to deepen her impact on the field.
Jacob Czarnecki '26, Concentration: Sustainable Cropping Systems
Jacob has been growing vegetables in his family’s large garden plot since he was 16 years old. Even after beginning his Agricultural Sciences degree at Cornell in 2022, he returns home each summer to plant a season’s worth of vegetables for his family and neighbors.
Jacob has embraced Cornell’s extensive soil and cropping systems curriculum, gaining exposure to public research and extension efforts on the Ithaca campus. Courses like Plant Science and Systems (PLSCI 1101) and Berry Crops: Culture and Management (PLSCI 4520) have equipped him with valuable tools to support fruit and vegetable producers across the country.
Rather than managing his own farm out of college, Jacob envisions a career in public service, helping growers succeed. During both his freshman and sophomore summers, he interned with the Natural Resources Conservation Service at the USDA in Oregon—hoping to return after graduation.
Cornell gave Jacob the opportunity to grow on campus and the confidence to expand his knowledge far beyond Cayuga’s waters.
c h e m i s t r y f o r t h e U S D A .