The 2013 AIARD Future Leaders Class
Ms. Pratikshya Sapkota Bastola is originally from Nepal and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics at Washington State University. Pratikshya studies policies that ensure that rural communities have income generating activities while protecting the environment. Concerned with gender equity and natural resource access policies, Ms. Bastola hopes to work for an international organization that shapes policy.
Mr. Umesh Bastola is a Ph.D. student in Agricultural Economics at Washington State University. Originally from Nepal, Umesh’s scholarship focuses on international trade. His M.S. work at the University of Arkansas was in fisheries and aquaculture. Intent on working in developing country contexts where he can facilitate policy changes that improve the lives of others, Umesh has experience in Africa, South Asia and South East Asia.
Mr. Christopher (Chris) Bielecki is a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University in Agricultural Education. Chris’ goal is to design policies to improve, develop, and strengthen developing countries’ capacities to provide high quality rural and agricultural education. His M.S. work was in Guatemala where he researched the impact of local culture on the adoption of improved cookstoves. Chris hopes to continue working in internationally where he can design educational programs that improve food security.
Ms. Tyson Deal will graduate this fall from the University of Georgia with a Master’s degree in Agricultural Leadership and International Development. She has a background in horticulture and anthropology which she applies to her current research on Moringa adoption. She is also interested in monitoring and evaluation.
Ms. Dana James has just completed her undergraduate degree at Pennsylvania State University in Environmental Science and International Development and will be continuing her education as a Fulbright scholarship recipient at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. During her Fulbright, she will study food security in indigenous populations.
Ms. Mphatso (Charity) Mbulukwa is pursuing a M.S. in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at Purdue University. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Malawi in Agricultural Extension. After graduation, Charity hopes to return to Sub-Saharan Africa and wants to work in developing policies and managing agricultural projects that improve African agriculture and food security.
Mr. Robert Norris is a graduate student at Virginia Tech University in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences. Robert served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi where he became interested in legumes as a commodity that not only improves soil health but can be used in daily lives to increase food security. After completing his M.S. at Virginia Tech, Robert hopes to return to Sub-Saharan Africa to work on cropping systems and extension.
Ms. Sarah Page is a Master’s degree student in Agroecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She became interested in climate change as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica and Paraguay. Her graduate work focuses on water and nitrogen use in potato production. She intends to work for an international organization and hopes to work with women farmers as they cope with a changing climate with few resources.
Ms. Amanda Ramcharan is a Ph.D. student at Pennsylvania State University. She is pursuing a degree in Agriculture and Biological Engineering with a minor in Computational Science and is modeling the effects of agriculture on hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon cycles. She intends to continue to study climate change and drought events and hopes to work for an international organization after graduating.
Mr. Thomas (Tom) Stein is pursuing a M.S. in International Agricultural Development at the University of California, Davis. Tom has been a fellow at the International Rice Research Institute and worked in Thailand and Egypt in refugee resettlement. Currently, Tom’s graduate work includes technology development at UC Davis’ D-Lab where he conducts feasibility analyses of technologies and develops curriculum to support the adoption of those technologies.
Mr. Sushil Thapa is a Ph.D. student at West Texas A&M University and holds a M.S. in Organic Agriculture from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Upon graduation, he will pursue a career where he can influence pro-poor agricultural policies in developing countries and hopes to work in Nepal.
Ms. Suzanna Windon is a Ph.D. student at The Ohio State University and is studying Community and Agricultural Extension Education. Originally from the Ukraine, Suzanna is pursuing research that benefits disabled farmers and their families. By adding a public health emphasis to her program, she hopes that her research will improve the lives of farmers worldwide.
Mr. Umesh Bastola is a Ph.D. student in Agricultural Economics at Washington State University. Originally from Nepal, Umesh’s scholarship focuses on international trade. His M.S. work at the University of Arkansas was in fisheries and aquaculture. Intent on working in developing country contexts where he can facilitate policy changes that improve the lives of others, Umesh has experience in Africa, South Asia and South East Asia.
Mr. Christopher (Chris) Bielecki is a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University in Agricultural Education. Chris’ goal is to design policies to improve, develop, and strengthen developing countries’ capacities to provide high quality rural and agricultural education. His M.S. work was in Guatemala where he researched the impact of local culture on the adoption of improved cookstoves. Chris hopes to continue working in internationally where he can design educational programs that improve food security.
Ms. Tyson Deal will graduate this fall from the University of Georgia with a Master’s degree in Agricultural Leadership and International Development. She has a background in horticulture and anthropology which she applies to her current research on Moringa adoption. She is also interested in monitoring and evaluation.
Ms. Dana James has just completed her undergraduate degree at Pennsylvania State University in Environmental Science and International Development and will be continuing her education as a Fulbright scholarship recipient at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. During her Fulbright, she will study food security in indigenous populations.
Ms. Mphatso (Charity) Mbulukwa is pursuing a M.S. in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at Purdue University. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Malawi in Agricultural Extension. After graduation, Charity hopes to return to Sub-Saharan Africa and wants to work in developing policies and managing agricultural projects that improve African agriculture and food security.
Mr. Robert Norris is a graduate student at Virginia Tech University in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences. Robert served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi where he became interested in legumes as a commodity that not only improves soil health but can be used in daily lives to increase food security. After completing his M.S. at Virginia Tech, Robert hopes to return to Sub-Saharan Africa to work on cropping systems and extension.
Ms. Sarah Page is a Master’s degree student in Agroecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She became interested in climate change as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica and Paraguay. Her graduate work focuses on water and nitrogen use in potato production. She intends to work for an international organization and hopes to work with women farmers as they cope with a changing climate with few resources.
Ms. Amanda Ramcharan is a Ph.D. student at Pennsylvania State University. She is pursuing a degree in Agriculture and Biological Engineering with a minor in Computational Science and is modeling the effects of agriculture on hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon cycles. She intends to continue to study climate change and drought events and hopes to work for an international organization after graduating.
Mr. Thomas (Tom) Stein is pursuing a M.S. in International Agricultural Development at the University of California, Davis. Tom has been a fellow at the International Rice Research Institute and worked in Thailand and Egypt in refugee resettlement. Currently, Tom’s graduate work includes technology development at UC Davis’ D-Lab where he conducts feasibility analyses of technologies and develops curriculum to support the adoption of those technologies.
Mr. Sushil Thapa is a Ph.D. student at West Texas A&M University and holds a M.S. in Organic Agriculture from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Upon graduation, he will pursue a career where he can influence pro-poor agricultural policies in developing countries and hopes to work in Nepal.
Ms. Suzanna Windon is a Ph.D. student at The Ohio State University and is studying Community and Agricultural Extension Education. Originally from the Ukraine, Suzanna is pursuing research that benefits disabled farmers and their families. By adding a public health emphasis to her program, she hopes that her research will improve the lives of farmers worldwide.
