Posted: January 26, 2021
Ram Neupane, a doctoral student in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been selected as one of the recipients for the 2020-21 University Graduate Fellowships.
Ram Neupane
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Ram Neupane, a doctoral student in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has been selected as one of the recipients for the 2020-21 University Graduate Fellowships.
The highly competitive award is sponsored by the Graduate School and awarded to 100 incoming students. University Graduate Fellowships provide payment of tuition and a base stipend, as well as a health insurance subsidy. Colleges may choose to increase the base stipend with their own funding.
Neupane is advised by Beth Gugino, professor of vegetable pathology in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology.
“We look forward to Ram joining the vegetable pathology team," said Gugino. “He comes to us with a diverse set of research experiences as well as practical experience working with farmers and community members to address and work towards solving real-world problems. His drive to address real-world problems is further emphasized in several op-ed articles he has written related to climate change and the existing food system.
Neupane joined the plant pathology program this semester. Previously, he was associated with Agricare Nepal in a dual capacity as lab supervisor for a microbiology lab and CEO of Farmers' Call Center. His works in Agricare Nepal were mainly focused on promoting organic farming and increasing the agricultural use of bio-control agents. He has also worked with the United States Agency for International Development's Feed the Future Asia Innovative Farmers' Activity and conducted field trials on Pest Exclusion Net.
His work at Penn State will include a USDA NIFA SCRI onion bacterial project, “Stop the rot: Combating onion bacterial diseases with pathogenomic tools and enhanced management strategies." This national USDA NIFA SCRI funded project aims at developing practical, economically-viable strategies for bacterial pathogen detection and management to improve the profitability and sustainability of onion production in the U.S.
He is also interested in international agriculture and development and plans to include some components of this in his Ph.D. research.
Neupane holds a bachelor's degree in agriculture from the Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal. Upon graduation, he did a research internship in a rice blast project under the supervision of Dr. Chatchawan Jantasuriyarat at Kasetsart University, Thailand.
