The 2012 AIARD Future Leaders Class
Samantha Alvis
Ms. Alvis is a Ph.D. student in International Agricultural Development and Agricultural Communications at Texas A&M University where she was recently named ALEC International Agricultural Student of the Year. Her research interests are linked to filling the gap between research and production. She is very active in the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education where she currently serves as the Student Representative and Newsletter Editor.
George Awuni
After studying Renewable Natural Resources and working for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in his native Ghana, Mr. Awuni has completed a M.S. at Tuskegee University and is now enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Entomology and Pathology at Mississippi State University. In Ghana, he co-founded the community based organization, United Front for Development which successfully built schools and improved local water and sanitation.
Zachary Bagley
Mr. Bagley is pursuing a Masters Degree in International Agricultural Development with an emphasis on Agricultural and Resource Economics from University of California, Davis. A former Peace Corps Volunteer in Uganda, he is interested in participatory agricultural extension, monitoring and evaluation, and development project design. He received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Purdue University in 2007 and is interested in the intersection of global poverty and agricultural and natural resource management.
Jean Claude Bizimana
Mr. Bizimana has studied Soil Science in his native Rwanda, Agricultural Extension and Education at Michigan State University and will graduate with a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics this spring. After obtaining his Masters Degree, he worked for the USAID project Partnership for Enhancing Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages (PEARL) as the Director of Outreach and for the Livestock Market Information System in Mali project funded by the Global Livestock and Livestock Climate Change CRSPs.
Kateryna Goychuk Schroeder
Ms. Goychuk is working on a doctoral dissertation at the University of Missouri-Columbia pertaining to the analysis of Black Sea grain markets. A native of Ukraine, she is interested in studying the impact of export restrictions on agricultural markets. After completing her degree, she intends to strengthen Ukraine's institutions and implement market based strategies to agriculture and economic development.
Kedar Koirala
Mr. Koirala has earned three Masters Degrees in Meteorology, Hydrology, and Statistics from Nepal, India, and the United States, respectively. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering Science from Washington State University where he recently won an award for outstanding service. He is interested in climate change and the impact that livestock have on the environment. He intends to return to his native Nepal upon graduation and continue working in these fields.
Prossie Nakawuka
Ms. Nakawuka is completing her Ph.D. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Washington State University. She is a native of Uganda where she studied and managed water in paddy rice fields. Her professional goal is to apply engineering principles to support useful plant life with minimum impact on soil and water resources.
Brian Pace
Mr. Pace is completing his Masters Degree in Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University where he researches crop genetics. He will continue his studies at OSU with research focused on Mexican maize landraces. He hopes to continue his work as a scientist and eventually work for an international agricultural research institution.
Ariel Rivers
Ms. Rivers is pursuing a Ph.D. in International Agriculture and Development and Entomology at The Pennsylvania State University. She holds an M.S. in Environmental Studies and a B.S. in Soil Science. While studying at University of California, Davis, she received an international travel grant and was named Outstanding Senior. Her research is focused on sustainable agriculture, particularly in the areas of soil quality, beneficial arthropods, and reduced chemical use.
Divina (Aibee) Garcia Rodriguez
A Ph.D. candidate in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ms. Rodriguez has worked at the International Rice Research Institute conducting technology adoption. She was also a Fulbright Scholar at Texas Tech University where she received an M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics. She is interested in working to improve the enabling environment for agricultural and economic growth in an effort to reduce poverty.
Shonel Sen
Ms. Sen is a dual Ph.D. candidate in Applied Economics and Demography at The Pennsylvania State University. She received Gold Medals for her M.A. in Economics from Jadavpur University in India. Her work as a social scientist includes interdisciplinary research in health, economic incentives, population, and policy. She has worked with and hopes to continue to work with non-profit groups and others interested in solving urgent social problems in developing countries.
Esha Zaveri
Ms. Zaveri is a first year Ph.D. student in Agricultural, Environmental, and Regional Economics at The Pennsylvania State University. She is interested in finding solutions for those most vulnerable populations: women, children, and those who lack credit. Before attending Pennsylvania State, she worked as an intern on a World Bank project in India that studied financial literacy among micro-finance clients. After completing her degree, she hopes to continue working on these important international issues.
Ms. Alvis is a Ph.D. student in International Agricultural Development and Agricultural Communications at Texas A&M University where she was recently named ALEC International Agricultural Student of the Year. Her research interests are linked to filling the gap between research and production. She is very active in the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education where she currently serves as the Student Representative and Newsletter Editor.
George Awuni
After studying Renewable Natural Resources and working for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in his native Ghana, Mr. Awuni has completed a M.S. at Tuskegee University and is now enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Entomology and Pathology at Mississippi State University. In Ghana, he co-founded the community based organization, United Front for Development which successfully built schools and improved local water and sanitation.
Zachary Bagley
Mr. Bagley is pursuing a Masters Degree in International Agricultural Development with an emphasis on Agricultural and Resource Economics from University of California, Davis. A former Peace Corps Volunteer in Uganda, he is interested in participatory agricultural extension, monitoring and evaluation, and development project design. He received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Purdue University in 2007 and is interested in the intersection of global poverty and agricultural and natural resource management.
Jean Claude Bizimana
Mr. Bizimana has studied Soil Science in his native Rwanda, Agricultural Extension and Education at Michigan State University and will graduate with a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics this spring. After obtaining his Masters Degree, he worked for the USAID project Partnership for Enhancing Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages (PEARL) as the Director of Outreach and for the Livestock Market Information System in Mali project funded by the Global Livestock and Livestock Climate Change CRSPs.
Kateryna Goychuk Schroeder
Ms. Goychuk is working on a doctoral dissertation at the University of Missouri-Columbia pertaining to the analysis of Black Sea grain markets. A native of Ukraine, she is interested in studying the impact of export restrictions on agricultural markets. After completing her degree, she intends to strengthen Ukraine's institutions and implement market based strategies to agriculture and economic development.
Kedar Koirala
Mr. Koirala has earned three Masters Degrees in Meteorology, Hydrology, and Statistics from Nepal, India, and the United States, respectively. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering Science from Washington State University where he recently won an award for outstanding service. He is interested in climate change and the impact that livestock have on the environment. He intends to return to his native Nepal upon graduation and continue working in these fields.
Prossie Nakawuka
Ms. Nakawuka is completing her Ph.D. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Washington State University. She is a native of Uganda where she studied and managed water in paddy rice fields. Her professional goal is to apply engineering principles to support useful plant life with minimum impact on soil and water resources.
Brian Pace
Mr. Pace is completing his Masters Degree in Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University where he researches crop genetics. He will continue his studies at OSU with research focused on Mexican maize landraces. He hopes to continue his work as a scientist and eventually work for an international agricultural research institution.
Ariel Rivers
Ms. Rivers is pursuing a Ph.D. in International Agriculture and Development and Entomology at The Pennsylvania State University. She holds an M.S. in Environmental Studies and a B.S. in Soil Science. While studying at University of California, Davis, she received an international travel grant and was named Outstanding Senior. Her research is focused on sustainable agriculture, particularly in the areas of soil quality, beneficial arthropods, and reduced chemical use.
Divina (Aibee) Garcia Rodriguez
A Ph.D. candidate in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ms. Rodriguez has worked at the International Rice Research Institute conducting technology adoption. She was also a Fulbright Scholar at Texas Tech University where she received an M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics. She is interested in working to improve the enabling environment for agricultural and economic growth in an effort to reduce poverty.
Shonel Sen
Ms. Sen is a dual Ph.D. candidate in Applied Economics and Demography at The Pennsylvania State University. She received Gold Medals for her M.A. in Economics from Jadavpur University in India. Her work as a social scientist includes interdisciplinary research in health, economic incentives, population, and policy. She has worked with and hopes to continue to work with non-profit groups and others interested in solving urgent social problems in developing countries.
Esha Zaveri
Ms. Zaveri is a first year Ph.D. student in Agricultural, Environmental, and Regional Economics at The Pennsylvania State University. She is interested in finding solutions for those most vulnerable populations: women, children, and those who lack credit. Before attending Pennsylvania State, she worked as an intern on a World Bank project in India that studied financial literacy among micro-finance clients. After completing her degree, she hopes to continue working on these important international issues.