People

Julie Dawson

Associate Professor
Department of Horticulture
393 Moore Hall
1575 Linden Drive
email: dawson [at] hort.wisc.edu

PhD Crop Science, 2008. Washington State University
Bachelor of Science, Plant Science, 2003. Cornell University

Rue Genger

Scientist II
Department of Horticulture
321 Moore Hall
1575 Linden Drive
email: rkgenger [at] wisc.edu

PhD Plant Sciences, Australian National University
Bachelor of Science Plant Breeding, University of Queensland

Rue’s research interests include collaborative plant breeding for organic
systems, seed systems for potatoes and other vegetatively propagated crops, and reduced tillage methods for climate resilient organic vegetable production.

Thomas Hickey

Research Specialist
Department of Horticulture
321 Moore Hall
1575 Linden Drive
email: tphickey [at] wisc.edu

MS Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison
BS Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Thomas is a long-time vegetable variety trial researcher now turned data
manager. He can be spotted in community gardens and research stations
recording observations or formatting data.

Marissa Nix

Research Specialist
email: mnix [at] wisc.edu

BS Genetics and Genomics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Marissa provides support in both the laboratory and field, focusing on daily and weekly logistics. Recently, she has been working on tomato and pepper breeding projects for the lab.

Paulina Jenney

Research Coordinator
email: pjenney [at] wisc.edu

Steffen Mirsky

Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison Division of Extension
email: swmirsky [at] wisc.edu

BS Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Washington

Steffen is working with Jason Fischbach and the Extension Emerging Crops
Team to help establish ten emerging crops in Wisconsin through education,
outreach, research and supply chain development with the goal of diversifying
the agricultural landscape, improving environmental outcomes and greater
economic prosperity. This includes American hazelnuts and food grade grains,
as well as helping to manage the Seed to Kitchen Collaborative vegetable
trials in Spooner, WI.

Scott Brainard

Postdoctoral Researcher
email: shbrainard [at] wisc.edu

PhD Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Scott is developing tools that leverage next-generation sequence data to
improve the efficiency of selection in hazelnut.

Peyton Higgins

Postdoctoral Researcher
email: pmhiggins [at] wisc.edu

PhD Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Graduate Students

Ambar Carvallo Lopez

PhD Student
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics
email: carvallolope [at] wisc.edu

Ambar is interested in supporting organic farming systems by developing
varieties that are especially adapted for those conditions. She is currently
working on tomato breeding for organic systems.

Affiliated Graduate Students

Pablo Sandro

PhD Student
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics
Co-advised with Lucia Gutierrez
email: sandrogarcia [at] wisc.edu

Pablo works on developing high-quality value-added hard red winter wheat
varieties adapted to the Midwestern United States with a high level of
involvement by wheat chain actors. He also uses historical oat databases
combined with genomic tools to predict and characterize environments,
resilience, stability and performance in oat lines in Wisconsin and across
the Midwest.

Micaela Colley

PhD Student
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics
Wageningen University
Co-Advised with Edith Lammerts van Bueren and James Myers
email: micaela [at] seedalliance.org

Michaela is doing her thesis on participatory methods for organic plant breeding.

Antonio Brazelton

PhD Student
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Washington University in St. Louis
Co-Advised with Allison Miller
email: brazelton.antonio [at] gmail.com

Antonio’s current research interests are at the nexus of plant breeding,
urban agriculture and food equity. His goal is to explore targeted breeding
strategies that prioritize food sovereignty, environmental sustainability
and improved genetic diversity for urban farmers and the communities
they serve.

Crew

• Ava Glaser
• Frances Plese
• Madeline Boyer
• Malachi Persche

Graduate Student Alumni

Sarah DeGraff

MS Horticulture 2023

Kayla Sherman

MS Agroecology 2023

Meg Baker

MS Agroecology 2023, co-advised with Claudia Irene Calderon

Laura Livingston

PhD Student
Environment and Resources
Co-Advised with Randy Stoecker
MS Agroecology 2018

Anneliese Abbott

MS, Nelson Institute

Dylan Bruce

MS Agroecology

Jenyne Schaefer Loarca

PhD Student
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics
Co-Advised with Phil Simon

Ambar Carvallo Lopez

MS Agroecology

Keo Corak

PhD Student
Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics
MS Agroecology 2018

Juan Astroza

MS Horticulture

Patrick Merscher

MS Agroecology 2020

Kevin Coe

PhD Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics 2020
Co-Advised with Phil Simon
Currently a postdoctoral researcher at NCSU with Dr. Massimo Iorizzo

Karen Hill

MS Agroecology 2020

Rachel Schindler

MS Agroecology 2020

Thomas Hickey

MS Horticulture 2019
Currently Research Specialist,
UW-Madison

Terry Hodge

MS Horticulture 2018
Currently Conservatory and Orchid Horticulturist,
Olbrich Botanic Gardens

Alex Steussy-Williams

MS Agroecology 2018
Currently Giving Garden Facilitator,
Bayview Foundation, Madison, WI

Kitt Healy

MS Horticulture and Agroecology 2016
Currently Midwest Research and Education Associate
Organic Seed Alliance
Outreach Specialist,
Seed to Kitchen Collaborative,
UW Madison

Terri Theisen

MS Horticulture 2016
Currently Horticulture Extension Educator
Purdue University Extension

Natalie Cotter

Masters, May 2016
Urban and Regional Planning
(Advisor Ken Genskow)
Currently Agriculture Enterprise Area Program Manager
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

Affiliated Graduate Student Alumni

Peyton Higgins

PhD Student
Chemistry
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Advised by Andrew Buller

Staff Alumni

Meg Baker

Researcher I

Keith Williams

Outreach Specialist

Jenn Cava

Research Specialist

Brian Emerson

Research Specialist

Claire Luby

Faculty Associate