OPPORTUNITIES

Undergraduates play an active research role in the lab. We typically have 5-10 undergraduates working in the lab each semester. In the summer, several students have had the opportunity to conduct research elsewhere in the U.S. (e.g, Napa Valley, California) and outside the country (field plots in Poland; Greenland). Students working in the lab often are taking independent research credit. Many students have been supported by grants (NSF REU; WISER and various training grants), especially during the summer. There are also opportunities for work study positions and limited wage payroll positions. Often a student in the lab develops a research project that becomes an honors thesis or presents a poster at the Undergraduate research fair. We also have supported students to present their research at national horticultural and ecology meetings. These experiential opportunities are critical for students interested in excelling in the sciences.

Israel Alarcón Major: Economics Root dynamics in blueberry Israel analyzing blueberry root images.	Nelson DeBarros Major: Biology Root turnover in Blueberry Nelson taking images of blueberry roots with a minirhizotrons camera
Erin Frederick Major: Environmental Resource Management Variation in root proliferation among forest trees Uncovering Cucumber tree roots for a study of root proliferation in the Penn State University Stone Valley School Forest	Denise Gardner Major: Food Science Grape Phylloxera on Roots of Phylloxera-Resistant Rootstocks Denise Gardner measuring soil moisture in a vineyard in the Napa Valley, California
Travis Haussener Major: Biology Crop load effects on root dynamics in Concord grape Travis cleaning roots from soil cores from the vineyard.	Cristina McKernan Major: Biology Effects of cropload on root biomass partitioning in high bush blueberry Cristina separating the very fine roots of blueberry
Katie Palajian Major: Horticulture Rates of Root Browning of Apple Trees under Different Irrigation Regimes Katie working with Luis on building soil moisture sensors (TDR waveguides)	Alonso Valenzuela Major: Civil Engineering Carbon balance in blueberry plants Alonso calibrating an instrument used to estimate leaf photosynthesis