The 2014 AIARD Future Leaders Class
Mr. Innocent Awasom is a Ph.D. student in agricultural education and communication at Texas
Tech University. Originally from Cameroon, Innocent has experience as a research librarian and uses
those skills to understand extension education in developing countries. After graduation, he is
interested in developing curriculum and digital libraries for secondary and tertiary schools in Africa.
Mr. Awasom has worked in Burkina Faso and Kenya and is fluent in five languages.
Mr. Basu Deb Bhandari attends Louisiana State University where he is a Ph.D. student studying
agricultural economics. Mr. Bhandari’s research focuses on the efficiency, profitability, and
sustainability of forage-fed beef production. After graduation, he intends to work internationally and
focus on climate change and food security. Mr. Bhandari is originally from Nepal.
Mr. Krishna Bahadur Bhandari studies agronomy and crop science at Texas Tech University where
he is pursuing a Ph.D. Originally from Nepal, Mr. Bhandari has worked for several NGOs including
HELVETAS, ECARDS-Nepal, and Practical Action. He recently completed an M.S. degree in Pest
Management at the University of Georgia. His research at Texas Tech will focus on sustainable
semi-arid agriculture.
Mr. Patrick Maxwell Freeze is a Ph.D. student in soil science at Washington State University. His
research focuses on the sustainable containment of toxic metals that result from agricultural practices
and rural or urban development. He has applied his work to countries such as Ghana, Bangladesh,
and Nepal and his research has focused on working with indigenous peoples who are impacted by
large-scale mining and agriculture. After graduation, Mr. Freeze intends to apply his skills to improve
soil management, enhance rural sustainability education, and influence environmental policy.
Ms. Soyeun Kim studies community development and rural tourism at Texas A&M University. Her
Ph.D. research investigates the synergistic relationships between alternative food markets and
agro tourism for sustainable rural development. In addition to having pivotal experiences in her
native South Korea, Ms. Kim has conducted research in and for people in Mexico, Bangladesh, Nepal,
and India. After graduation, she is interested in working for an organization focused on improving
rural areas through investments in food security, environmental and cultural protection, and rural
employment.
Mr. Austen Moore attends the University of Florida where he is a Ph.D. student in international
extension and agricultural development. Mr. Moore served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Timor Leste
and later worked with UNDP and Lawyers Without Borders. He has conducted research on the
agricultural sustainability of indigenous agriculture in Timor Leste, information channels used by
farmers in Trinidad and Tobago, climate change awareness in Belize, and extension service delivery in
Liberia. Mr. Moore will graduate this fall.
Ms. Lowery Parker is a Ph.D. student at the University of Georgia studying geography and
integrative conservation. Ms. Parker served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger. She has also
conducted research in Zambia and Kenya. Her dissertation research is interdisciplinary and focuses
on the role of biotechnology in agricultural development. Ms. Parker has received support for her
work from the Social Science Research Council.
Ms. S. Janine Parker is the McKnight Doctoral Fellow at the University of Florida where she studies
international extension and agricultural leadership. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala
and has had international training and research experiences in Trinidad and Paraguay. Her research
interests focus on reducing food insecurity in the Western hemisphere.
Ms. Lauren Pincus attends the University of California, Davis as a Ph.D. student in plant sciences.
Her research is on soil fertility management and farmer education related to soil management
practices in Uganda. Ms. Pincus’ M.S. work in international agricultural development was on rice
farmers’ access to and perception of different agro-chemical informational sources in Vietnam.
Ms. Pincus is interested in participatory agricultural research and extension and hopes to work
internationally on research and extension in rural communities when she graduates this year.
Ms. Sarah Sahlaney is completing two M.S. degrees in international agricultural development and
regional development at the University of California, Davis. Ms. Sahlaney’s research is focused on
gender integration in agricultural development projects. She has been working with women and value
chains in Sub-Saharan Africa where she seeks to understand women’s roles in savings groups. She has
worked in Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania and received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown
University.
Mr. Patrick James Trail is a M.S. student in crop and soil environmental sciences at Virginia Tech.
Mr. Trail grew up in Rwanda, Mauritius, and Botswana. He grew up speaking French and Mauritian
creole. While pursuing an undergraduate degree in international studies, Mr. Trail worked as a
park ranger. These rich experiences led him to pursue graduate work. He is focusing that work on
Senegalese millet-cowpea production systems.
Ms. Karyssa Lynn Zavala attends Texas A&M University where she is a Masters student in
international agricultural development as a part of the Peace Corps Masters International program.
She is a Thought for Food Ambassador at Texas A&M and received sponsorship to attend the 2013
Thought for Food global summit in Germany. She has interned for Congressman Hinojosa and has
received scholarships based on her work with Hispanic laborers. After graduation, Ms. Zavala hopes to
work in public diplomacy.
Tech University. Originally from Cameroon, Innocent has experience as a research librarian and uses
those skills to understand extension education in developing countries. After graduation, he is
interested in developing curriculum and digital libraries for secondary and tertiary schools in Africa.
Mr. Awasom has worked in Burkina Faso and Kenya and is fluent in five languages.
Mr. Basu Deb Bhandari attends Louisiana State University where he is a Ph.D. student studying
agricultural economics. Mr. Bhandari’s research focuses on the efficiency, profitability, and
sustainability of forage-fed beef production. After graduation, he intends to work internationally and
focus on climate change and food security. Mr. Bhandari is originally from Nepal.
Mr. Krishna Bahadur Bhandari studies agronomy and crop science at Texas Tech University where
he is pursuing a Ph.D. Originally from Nepal, Mr. Bhandari has worked for several NGOs including
HELVETAS, ECARDS-Nepal, and Practical Action. He recently completed an M.S. degree in Pest
Management at the University of Georgia. His research at Texas Tech will focus on sustainable
semi-arid agriculture.
Mr. Patrick Maxwell Freeze is a Ph.D. student in soil science at Washington State University. His
research focuses on the sustainable containment of toxic metals that result from agricultural practices
and rural or urban development. He has applied his work to countries such as Ghana, Bangladesh,
and Nepal and his research has focused on working with indigenous peoples who are impacted by
large-scale mining and agriculture. After graduation, Mr. Freeze intends to apply his skills to improve
soil management, enhance rural sustainability education, and influence environmental policy.
Ms. Soyeun Kim studies community development and rural tourism at Texas A&M University. Her
Ph.D. research investigates the synergistic relationships between alternative food markets and
agro tourism for sustainable rural development. In addition to having pivotal experiences in her
native South Korea, Ms. Kim has conducted research in and for people in Mexico, Bangladesh, Nepal,
and India. After graduation, she is interested in working for an organization focused on improving
rural areas through investments in food security, environmental and cultural protection, and rural
employment.
Mr. Austen Moore attends the University of Florida where he is a Ph.D. student in international
extension and agricultural development. Mr. Moore served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Timor Leste
and later worked with UNDP and Lawyers Without Borders. He has conducted research on the
agricultural sustainability of indigenous agriculture in Timor Leste, information channels used by
farmers in Trinidad and Tobago, climate change awareness in Belize, and extension service delivery in
Liberia. Mr. Moore will graduate this fall.
Ms. Lowery Parker is a Ph.D. student at the University of Georgia studying geography and
integrative conservation. Ms. Parker served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger. She has also
conducted research in Zambia and Kenya. Her dissertation research is interdisciplinary and focuses
on the role of biotechnology in agricultural development. Ms. Parker has received support for her
work from the Social Science Research Council.
Ms. S. Janine Parker is the McKnight Doctoral Fellow at the University of Florida where she studies
international extension and agricultural leadership. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala
and has had international training and research experiences in Trinidad and Paraguay. Her research
interests focus on reducing food insecurity in the Western hemisphere.
Ms. Lauren Pincus attends the University of California, Davis as a Ph.D. student in plant sciences.
Her research is on soil fertility management and farmer education related to soil management
practices in Uganda. Ms. Pincus’ M.S. work in international agricultural development was on rice
farmers’ access to and perception of different agro-chemical informational sources in Vietnam.
Ms. Pincus is interested in participatory agricultural research and extension and hopes to work
internationally on research and extension in rural communities when she graduates this year.
Ms. Sarah Sahlaney is completing two M.S. degrees in international agricultural development and
regional development at the University of California, Davis. Ms. Sahlaney’s research is focused on
gender integration in agricultural development projects. She has been working with women and value
chains in Sub-Saharan Africa where she seeks to understand women’s roles in savings groups. She has
worked in Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania and received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown
University.
Mr. Patrick James Trail is a M.S. student in crop and soil environmental sciences at Virginia Tech.
Mr. Trail grew up in Rwanda, Mauritius, and Botswana. He grew up speaking French and Mauritian
creole. While pursuing an undergraduate degree in international studies, Mr. Trail worked as a
park ranger. These rich experiences led him to pursue graduate work. He is focusing that work on
Senegalese millet-cowpea production systems.
Ms. Karyssa Lynn Zavala attends Texas A&M University where she is a Masters student in
international agricultural development as a part of the Peace Corps Masters International program.
She is a Thought for Food Ambassador at Texas A&M and received sponsorship to attend the 2013
Thought for Food global summit in Germany. She has interned for Congressman Hinojosa and has
received scholarships based on her work with Hispanic laborers. After graduation, Ms. Zavala hopes to
work in public diplomacy.