The following graduate students are currently studying at Puyallup.
Nirmalya Chatterjee
c_nirmalya@wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Markus Flury
Crop and Soil Sciences
Nirmalya Chatterjee is a Ph.D. student in the Soil Science program at WSU with an emphasis in Soil Physics/Vadose Zone Hydrology. His doctoral research focuses on theoretical modeling of capillary forces on colloids.
Sun (Figo) Fei
fei.sun@wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Joe Harrison
Livestock Nutrient Management
Kara Lanning
kara.lanning@wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Patrick Moore
Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Anna Leon
anna_leon@wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Gary Chastagner
Plant Pathology
Anna is a new Ph.D. student in the Plant Pathology program at WSU Puyallup. She is very interested in soil-borne fungal pathogens and is looking forward to working in this area upon completion of her degree. She has a wealth of practical experience gained while working on soil-borne pathogens in Weyerhaeuser’s Nursery Pathology Program and has recently completed her M.S. degree in forestry at the University of Washington. Her M.S. research project was directed at the control of Fusarium root rot in conifer nurseries through the use of chemical fumigants.
The focus of her Ph.D. research will be the development of qPCR techniques to quantify soil populations of Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium commune and to determine their pathogenicity, at various population levels, on Douglas-fir seedlings. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide information and diagnostic tools that will improve control of Fusarium root rot in conifer nurseries.
Ziru (Steven) Liu
ziruliu@wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Markus Flury
Crop and Soil Sciences
Ziru (Steven) Liu received an MS in Environmental Engineering from Dalian University of Technology in China and the joined the Soil Physics Group at the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Washington State University. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Soil Science with emphasis in Soil Physics/Vadose Zone Hydrology.
Steven's research focuses on studying colloid transport under field conditions representative for the semi-arid Hanford Site in south-central Washington. He is conducting field experiments at the vadose zone research facility at the Hanford 300 Area, where a colloid transport experiment is being carried out in several field lysimeters. Steven is analyzing how colloids are moving through unsaturated sediments under different natural and irrigated precipitation scenarios. Steven also investigates long-term colloid transport in undisturbed sediment cores irrigated under laboratory conditions. Steven's research will provide relevant information on whether colloid transport is possible at under semi-arid conditions typical for the Western States, and whether colloid transport can be a potential mechanism for transport of contaminants, especially radionuclides, at USDOE Nuclear Facilities.
Kathleen McKeever
Faculty Advisor: Gary Chastagner
Plant Pathology
Katie originates from New York State's Mid-Hudson Valley. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Health from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse, NY. She has an avid interest in Forest Pathology, Ecology, and Silviculture, and has worked with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Forest Health and Protection Division. She joined the Plant Pathology Department at WSU in Fall 2008 to pursue a Master of Science degree under the supervision of Dr. Gary Chastagner at WSU Puyallup REC. Her research involved molecular, biological and histological characterization of the colonization and sporulation of the "Sudden Oak Death" pathogen—Phytophthora ramorum—on Douglas-fir tissues. Katie successfully completed the MS degree requirements in December 2010. She was awarded the 2009 Integrated Hardwood Resource Management Student Scholarship, 2009 WSU Puyallup Book Club Scholarship, the 2010 WSU Pierce County Master Gardener's Scholarship and won first place honors at the WSU Plant Pathology Student Research Expo in June 2010.
Mu Qiao
qiaomu@puyallup.wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: John Stark
Entomology
Anurag Srivastava
anurag.srivastava@email.wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Joan Wu
Biological Systems Engineering
Anurag Srivastava received his MS in 2009 from the Department of Biosystems Engineering at Auburn University, Alabama. His research was to apply the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model for runoff and sediment in the forested watershed with perennial streams located in Houston, Texas.
He continued his research on improving and applying the WEPP model in his Ph.D. program in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University. The research goal is to incorporate base-flow subroutines into WEPP using a linear reservoir model and to assess its performance by applying it to a large watershed. With the new improved WEPP model users will be able to more adequately simulate and predict stream flow from large watersheds that will help in management and protection of water resources.
Nathan Stacey
nathan.stacey@email.wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Gwen Stahnke
Turfgrass Science
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Nathan Stacey received a B.A. in Communications from Truman State University (2002), and while exploring the mountains of Colorado, discovered an intense interest in the field of plant science. Positions in Colorado, California, and Washington strengthened this interest, while the Turf Management Program (2008) at Rutgers State University, afforded a base for knowledge. The current project lies within this scope, as the investigation may provide some insight into the interaction of pathogen, plant and management practice.
Nathan joined the research staff at Puyallup in January, 2011. As he pursues his M.S. in Crop and Soil Science, his research is focused on the identification and pathogenicity of Pythium spp. affecting the turfgrass industry. Using PCR amplification and subsequent DNA analysis, the project hopes to provide a better understanding of the pathogen, and to provide Best Management Practices (BMP’s) for turf managers.
Sandra Wayman
sandra.wayman@email.wsu.edu
Faculty Advisor: Craig Cogger
Crop and Soil Science
Sandra grew up in an apple orchard (Rochester, NY), went to college in a dairy pasture (Allegheny College, Meadville, PA), and worked in a corn field (Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA). Her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science began her interest in sustainable farming and work at the Rodale Institute focused on cover cropping in no-till tomatoes. She also spent time in Costa Rica volunteering at an English/Spanish school, in Australia studying land leeches in the rainforest, and in Puerto Rico working at a B&B in the mountains caring for tropical plants. Her interests include pipe organ, bicycling, gardening, cooking, and writing.
Sandra is pursuing a master’s degree in Soil Science, working with Craig Cogger, Andy Bary, Chris Benedict and Doug Collins in cover-cropping for organic vegetable production. She will be examining cover crop variety and termination timing and techniques on soil health and weed dynamics. Her work is part of the reduced tillage organic farming research and extension project.
Visiting Graduate Students
Former Grad Students
Andrew Lawson
Faculty Advisor: Craig Cogger/Ann-Marie Fortuna
Crop and Soil Sciences
Andrew joined the Organic Nutrient and Soil Management Team at WSU Puyallup to pursue a M.S. in Soil Science. He grew up on a dairy farm in Upstate New York and has been working in agriculture his entire life. He has a B.S. in Biology from the University of New Hampshire and worked briefly at Cornell as research technician in the Weed Science Program. Currently, he is conducting research at WSU that focuses on winter grown hairy vetch-cereal rye cover crop blends to enhance nitrogen management in organic vegetable cropping systems. The research is designed to address grower concern over the timing and rate of N release from cover crops through field fertility trials, laboratory N mineralization incubations of soil and residue, and characterization of cover crop properties related to N availability. His work will culminate in the development of practical guidelines for cover crop N management.
Olivia Saunders
Faculty Advisor: Ann-Marie Fortuna
Crop and Soil Sciences
Olivia began her M.S. degree at WSU in the lab of Ann-Marie Fortuna in January 2009 in the Department of Crop and Soil Science. During the summers, she does her field work with Dr. Joe Harrison's livestock nutrient management program, located in Puyallup. She received a B.S. in Environmental Conservation Studies from the University of New Hampshire in 2008 and has a diverse background. Her work experience includes outreach in cooperative extension where she assisted in community development projects, and environmental education at the Montshire Museum of Science in Vermont. Olivia’s interest in agriculture and soil health began when she became involved in starting a community garden while working as a farm hand at the UNH-Organic Dairy.
Her current research focuses on nitrogen uptake and transformations of field applied anaerobically digested dairy manure. The primary objective is to determine the fate of nitrogen in applications of pre- and post-digested manures and synthetic fertilizers. Her work quantifies nitrogen loss in the form of nitrous oxide, ammonia, and nitrate, all of which have serious environmental, health and production concerns. She hopes her Masters work will demonstrate to Washington farmers the benefits of anaerobic digestion as a manure management technology.
