Posted: October 15, 2020
Jeremy Sutherland, a graduate student in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, was one of 23 recipients to receive the 2020 Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) Fellow Award.
Jeremy Sutherland
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jeremy Sutherland, a graduate student in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, was one of 23 recipients to receive the 2020 Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) Fellow Award.
The prestigious award broadly encompasses two primary goals: to provide several, immersive professional development experiences and provide mentors from industry and government working in agriculture policy, research and business. These combined opportunities provide the foundation for each fellow to aspire to and achieve leadership positions within the industry.
“I applied to FFAR Fellowship because I believe, at its core, the program is about connecting people," said Sutherland. “My hope is that through these unique opportunities I can further my impact within the agriculture sector and my career. I also intend to build life-long relationships with my cohort and mentors; relationships that I can continue to support and call upon over the course of our collective careers."
His research explores ways to innovate by combining genotypic information with microbial and environmental information to more accurately predict crop outcomes. He seeks ways to leverage deep-learning computational methods to improve breeding lines of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) for desirable traits relevant to the U.S. bioenergy market.
He has served as president of the Science Policy Society (SPS) at Penn State and remains an active member. Some of his contributions to the society include creating a Public Comment Committee and hosting workshops such as the AAAS Policy Writing Workshop and the Alan Alda Science Communication Workshop. He largely attributes receiving this fellowship to his involvement with SPS.
Earlier this year, Sutherland received the Penn State Student Leader Scholarship for his contributions to SPS. The scholarship recognizes student leaders who significantly contribute to their organizations, work to build a more inclusive campus culture and make a positive difference in the surrounding community.
Sutherland is advised by Terrence Bell, assistant professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology.
