Rice: Research to Production - 2012 Course Participants
Khairul Quais
Bangladesh
Scientific Officer, Rice Farming Systems Division, BRRI
Quais was born and raised in Bangladesh and is 29 years old. He first received his undergraduate degree in Agriculture at Bangladesh Agricultural University and then completed Masters degree in Entomology at the same university. He has about five years experience of working in rice faming systems division at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute. His research focus as a whole involves developing suitable cropping pattern in different ecosystems. His keen interests include efforts to develop suitable cropping pattern and different component technology to address different stress conditions which is essential for food security of Bangladesh.
Khairunnisa Omar Ali
Brunei Darussalam
Agronomist, Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources
Agronomist with a Masters of Science in Crop Improvement and four years' experience in Rice Agronomy and Physiology. Involve as part of National Rice Team responsible to address rice security in Brunei Darussalam. Serving as Head of Rice and Field Crops Development Unit and is part of the editorial team for Agribusiness, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood magazine. Currently working with the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Bibi Khadizah Haji Rusli
Brunei Darussalam
Manager, Department of Agriculture and Agrifood, Ministry of Industry and PrimaryResources
Agronomist with a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and two years' experience in Rice Agronomy and Breeding. Involve as part of National Rice Team responsible to address rice security in Brunei Darussalam. Join the editorial team for Agribusiness, the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood magazine. Occasionally conduct briefings and seminars to visitors and farmers. Currently working with the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Emerlinda Maria Hornai
East Timor
Manager, Irrigated Rice Program, Seeds of Life, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
My name is Ermelinda Maria Lopes Hornai and I am 29 years old. I received my BSc in Agronomy from the University of East Timor in 2009. Since 2007, I work for the Seeds of life (SoL) program which is funded collaboratively by Timor Leste's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) and the Australian Government, through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). As a researcher, I conducted variety evaluation trials on major crops such as rice, cassava, peanut, sweet potato and maize. These trials were conducted in research station and in collaboration with farmers (on-farm demonstration trials). But from September 2011, I focused my research on rice as the Manager of SoL's irrigated rice program. My team will give recommendations to the Timor Leste Government especially the MAF on irrigated rice varieties that perform well in the country.
Tobias Moniz Vicente
East Timor
Researcher, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Timor-Leste
Tobias, 28 years old, obtained his BS in Agriculture in 2009 at National University of Timor-Leste. He is currently working for the Seeds of Life (SoL) program as a researcher, which is funded collaboratively by Timor-Leste's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) and the Australian Government, through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). Being a researcher since 2008, he conducted hundreds of on-farm demonstration trials for five major crops namely peanut, sweet potatoes, maize, rice, cassava and some legumes. From the collaborative efforts of all researchers within the country, the result of the experiment is a significant component in recommending to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) on which variety will be released for farmers to adopt for the next season. By now, he is very much interested about rice production. He is eager to learn new techniques and innovation that could possibly slowly solve some problems of the rice industry of Timor-Leste.
Julie Jacquemin
France
Postdoc University of Arizona
Julie was born and raised in France and is 27 years old. She earned her PhD in Evolutionary Genomics from the University of Perpignan, a small town in the south of France, in 2010. She first started to study ecology, behavioral ecology and macroevolution processes, but has since been strongly interested in the evolution, phylogeny and genomic fields. She started working on the rice model during my PhD. Her dissertation work focused on the dynamics of a particular segmental duplication in the rice genome, as well as in two wild African species, Oryza glaberrima and O. brachyantha. In 2011, she moved to Arizona and started to work as a Research Assistant in Dr. Rod Wing's lab (Arizona Genomics Institute). The Oryza Genome Evolution project provides complete genome sequences for a representative set of wild rice species, and she is using these data sets to describe the evolution of gene families, look for potentially useful lineage-specific traits and develop a new project on the BB and CC genomes.
Nicola Wunderlich
Germany
PhD student, Plant Pathology, National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, Charles Sturt University School of Agriculture and Wine Sciences
Nicola Wunderlich grew up in Northern Germany and migrated to Australia in 1996 initially to travel and experience different farming situations. After 3 years of travelling and working on farms she then continued her education with an Agribusiness Diploma and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture), followed by working in Viticulture for an Australian wine company, two vintages as assistant winemaker in France and Victoria, Australia as well as working on several plant pathology projects as assistant researcher and technical officer for Charles Sturt University. Nicola continued her tertiary education with a Bachelor of Science (hounours) in 2006 and has been a PhD student (Plant Pathology) at Charles Sturt University at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre in Wagga Wagga, Australia since 2007. She recently submitted her PhD thesis on a bunch and trunk disease in grapevinesand is currently working temporarily on a plant protection and spray application capacity building project with AusAID in East Timor. Nicola is interested in extending the research and development of Agricultural Science and Plant Pathology to farmers in developing countries as a method to help fight poverty and hunger. She is currently looking for employment within the international agricultural research and development sector.
Srinivas Mangina Rao
India
CEO, Cereals System Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), IRRI-India Office
M. Srinivas Rao has more than 24 years of experience and is a noted Agri-Business and Value Chain Specialist linking farm produce to markets. He believes in the transformational power of "inclusive businesses" and the synergistic role of Public-Private Partnerships to bring about widespread change. He has experience in farm extension, commodity trading, organized retail, farm e-marketplaces and rural resource development and has worked closely with NAREs , the Private Sector and NGOs .He is presently CEO of the Cereals System Initiative for South Asia (CSISA ) which is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID . His current position involves working with multi stakeholder platforms and learning alliances to integrate research and delivery of Agri technologies into the value chains of South Asia. Srinivas, has a Masters in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines, and a Bachelors degree in Commerce (Hons) from Delhi University, India as well as courses from Kansas State University and Cornell University on Commodity Trading and Accessing Global Agriculture Markets.
Thitsar Thitsar
Myanmar
MPA student in Public Policy Administration, Cornell University
Thitsar started his career life as a part-time, junior geologist at local geological services enterprise. He has a long history of public service and rural development. In 2009 September, he was appointed at ActionAid International/Myanmar (AAI/ Myanmar), as program coordinator. The organization is an International NGO, working in Myanmar for disaster responses and recovery works, poverty reduction and rural development works at about 120 village communities. AAI/Myanmar's approach to the rural development works are centered on the capacity development of communities' "young-adult" from the project areas. Through those empowered community "young-adults", the programmatic plans are implemented in collaboration with local partner organizations and community members. He was responsible for capacity development and partnership relationships in the organization. He worked for the organization until January 2011, just before joining Cornell Institute for Public Affairs for his MPA degree.
Teodora Cabasan
Philippines
PhD Research Scholar, Crop and Environmental Sciences Division (CESD), IRRI
Biology instructor at the University of Southern Mindanao, Philippines and ten years' experience in teaching biological sciences with additional expertise in the areas of nematology research, scientific writing and reporting. Served as research coordinator in science departments, organizer of research and extension in-house reviews and associate editor of local college research journal. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. study.
Helen C. Yambao
Philippines
Agricultural Technologist, Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, Municipal Compound, Gonzales Ave., San Juan, Apalit, Pampanga
A graduate of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Crop Science specialize in Agronomy and a Licensed Agriculturist with six years' experience as Agricultural Extension Worker and Agricultural Technologist since C.Y. 2006 to present, with emphasis in the establishment of Science and Technology-Based Farm in the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist of the Municipal Government of Apalit. Also currently taking up Masteral Degree in Agronomy and presently handling the following Agricultural Programs of Apalit; as Project Leader of Cyber Village Project Phase II, as Focal Person in the Science and Technology Based Farm on Organic-Based Rice Production and as permanent Agricultural Technologist assigned and task for agricultural development of the community (Brgy. Balucuc). As a government employee of the Philippines (LGU) availability of work is consistent as the need arises in terms of Agricultural Extension Services which includes Technology Transfer to Farmers.
Nareen Gajadin
Suriname
Assistant Researcher, Agronomy, Anne van Dijk Rice Research Center Nickerie
I was born on March 20th 1977and grow up in the Nickerie district, which is the rice producing part of Suriname. As son of a farmer's family it was an inducement for me to study in the agricultural area. I attended the primary and secondary school in Nickerie and from 1996 - 1998 I studied Electrical engineering at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname (no diploma). In 2004 I obtained my B Sc degree in Agricultural production and started my career as adjunct researcher at Anne van Dijk Rice Research centre Nickerie (ADRON). With several training and related studies I experienced to deal effectively with a wide range of farmers and developed succinct writing skills through project assignments. To speak efficiently was also learnt in formal meetings. During this period also the nomination of a Farmer Field School (FFS) facilitator was obtained with cooperation of the FAO. Since 2010 I hold the position of program coordinator at the Crop management department and coordinated several field experiments and surveys.
Yung-Fen Huang
Taiwan
PhD graduate from Universite Montpellier II, France
Yung-Fen Huang obtained her PhD degree in plant genetics and genomics from Universite Montpellier II, France in December 2011. She graduated from National Yang-Ming University in Taipei with a B.S. degree in life science. In the course of her graduate studies in France, she developed her interest in understanding the genetic basis of trait variation especially for crop-breeding purposes. She did her thesis for the master's degree on the genetic basis of maize yield-related traits through QTL mapping under the supervision of Dr. Alain Charcosset and Dr. Laurence Moreau. For her PhD project, she employed an integrated approach to understand the genetic origin of grape proanthocyanidin variation by combining quantitative genetics and functional biology with Dr. Patrice This and Dr. Nancy Terrier in Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in Montpellier. She found it quite exciting to trace the genetic origin of phenotypic variation from a large chromosomal region to a single-gene level. Yung-Fen hopes to go back to Asia after acquiring a sufficient post-doctoral training in order to work on the reduction of poverty and hunger through research as well as training others who are interested in the field.
Pranee Chomun
Thailand
Agricultural Research Officer (Practitioner Level), Rice Department, Phaholyothin Road, Bangkok, Thailand
I graduated Master's degree of Agriculture, Major in Soil Science from Kasetsart University. I am Agricultural Research Officer in Bureau of Rice Seed. I have two years experiences in relate field. I had work with Chainat Rice Seed Center in 2010 for one years and then move to the party's central office under the Bureau of Rice Seed in 2011, with addition expertise about soil chemical and soil fertility, and seeds quality testing. My responsibilities include supporting seeds quality controlling of Rice Seed Centers through the country, training and transferring the knowledge of production system, Good Agricultural practice (GAP:Seeds) and standard of rice seed law to officials and farmers.
Parinya Chuachoochat
Thailand
Agricultural Research Officer, Rice Department, Phaholyothin Road, Bangkok, Thailand
I am Agricultural Research Officer in Bureau of Rice Production Extension at Rice Department. I have six years experience in promoting and transfer rice knowledge to rice farmers. I graduated bachelor of Agriculture (Horticulture) and Master's degree of Agriculture (Horticulture) from Kasetsart University, with addition expertise about make and planed projects about training farmers for innovative rice technology, training to young farmer for new generation farmers in the future and create good attitude for student and other people about rice and farmer in Thailand. Served as study and research about social farmer in Thailand and knowledge local wisdom tradition and culture of Thai rice cultivation.
Mattaneeya Sengpanit
Thailand
Project Manager, John Deere Asia (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
My name is Mattaneeya Sengpanit. I'm Thai. I graduated Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering from Naresuan University (Thailand) in 2000 and Master Degree in Industrial Engineering & Management from Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand) in 2005. Now, I'm working with JohnDeere as Project Manager of Strategic Marketing which responsible for providing /catering solutions to "Circle of Rice". Before Deere, I have over 11 years of experience in various industries: automotive, apparel and electronics.
Kye Baroang
United States of America
Program Associate, Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development, Earth Institute, Columbia University
Kye Baroang is a Program Associate and Researcher at the Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute, Columbia University. He also serves on the adjunct faculty at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Kye provides research and policy guidance on integrating climate risk and adaptation activities into national and regional planning through work with multiple Earth Institute centers and collaborating partners. With the team from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, he leads technical backstopping, tool development and capacity building activities on climate risk management, with a focus on agriculture and water. He has published and presented widely on these topics (e.g. in Cambridge University Press and Elsevier's Treatise on Water Science), led international trainings for researchers and decision-makers, and provided consultation services to UNESCO and the World Bank Climate Change Team. Before joining the Earth Institute, he supported and led Southeast Asia-based projects promoting information and communication technologies (ICT) for development. Kye holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and a B.A. from Rice University in Economics and Policy Studies.
Trulie Campbell
United States of America
Ph.D. candidate, Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics in the Agronomy Department at Purdue University
She also earned her B.Sc. degree from Purdue University in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics. Trulie's graduate research focuses on increasing the genetic base of soybean through directed crosses with wild soybean germplasm (Glycine soja) that is resistant to common pests in the Midwest. Trulie was awarded the 2010 United Soybean Fellowship and completed two industry internships in 2009 and 2010.
Samuel Crowell
United States of America
Ph.D. candidate, Plant Biology, Cornell University
Sam is from a small town in West Virginia about one hour outside of Washington, D.C. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biology at West Virginia University in spring 2010, and began pursuing a Ph.D. in Plant Biology at Cornell University the following fall. Sam is currently a graduate student in the lab of Dr. Susan McCouch, where he studies panicle architecture in domesticated rice (Oryza sativa). Specifically, he is involved in developing an image capture analysis that can extract several phenotypes from photographs of rice panicles, including: length, number, and 3D position of primary branches and rachis internodes, overall panicle length, panicle extrusion, and seed number. Sam is also very interested in international food and agricultural policy. In his free time, Sam enjoys cooking and travel.
Matthew Fisher-Post
United States of America
M.S. student Public Policy and Agronomy, Cornell University
Matthew worked with the FAO Office of Evaluation. His rice background is through work in Costa Rica and India for the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development. Research interests include best crop management practices and best water management policies.
Megan Gilbert
United States of America
Undergraduate student, International Agriculture and Rural Development with a concentration in Economics and Development at Cornell University
Coming from a small town and living around Ithaca my whole life, her primary focus has been on equal access to healthy food, with a focus on providing nutritious food to individuals of all socioeconomic backgrounds, especially those in 'food deserts'. She's worked on numerous small scale organic farms, and has had the opportunity to partake in local food movements and the creation of farmer's markets, and how they can work towards alleviating hunger in smaller communities. She's worked with hydroponic small scale farms around Ithaca, where she has worked both as a farmhand and as an educator. She's interested seeing the link between plant breeding and research centers and with extension work around the Philippines area and global community. In her spare time she's usually found jam making and attempting to learn how to cook.
Dana Goldman
United States of America
Dual MA/MS student from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Friedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University
Dana grew up outside of Boston, MA and received a BA in government and Spanish from Georgetown University. After a brief stint working at Oxfam America on their Farm Bill campaign, she joined the Peace Corps and worked for two years as an environmental education volunteer in a small village in north-central Senegal. Currently studying at Tufts University pursuing a. She spent last summer at the FAO in Rome working within the Climate-Smart Agriculture program focusing on the mitigation of climate change in agriculture. Her master's thesis research will explore the opportunities for carbon finance in the rice sector and other policy options to support climate-smart rice production.
Carol Lange
United States of America
M.S. student in Plant Breeding, Texas A&M University
Carol is conducting an association mapping study of oat crown rust resistance. She returned to her native state of Texas after growing up in New Mexico where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Biology and a Minor in Chemistry from New Mexico State University. Between working in the fields and studying for course exams, Carol is a member of the Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society, volunteers with her church's Social Justice Committee, and is currently assisting the Soil and Crop Sciences Department with increasing the global presence of plant breeding through distance education. Fueled by the inspiration of NormanBorlaug, Carol completed an internship for Monsanto Company conducting a corn pollination flow study in the multi-seasons program in the summer of 2009, and later traveled to the International Maize and Wheat Research Center in Mexico. Carol is also interested in agricultural policy and its impact on global food development and production, and would like to visit each of the 16 international agriculture research centers. As a recent newlywed and movie buff, Carol spends her spare time baking for her husband and going to the theater.
Oliver Ott
United States of America
Ph.D. student, North Carolina State University
Oliver hails from northwest Ohio where he grew up on a small family run grain farm. He first received his undergraduate degree in Plant Sciences at Cornell University, where he worked in the Lab of Rebecca Nelson on the genetics of maize disease. From there he moved to North Carolina State University to study maize breeding, with Major Goodman and Matthew Krakowsky. His research focus as a whole involves integrating exotic germplasm in to the temperate breeding pool for the southeast region and the nation. His broader interests include international plant science efforts and understanding the links between basic and applied research, science education, and the governmental implementation of these.
Cameron Pittelkow
United States of America
PhD student, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis
Cameron is a graduate student researcher in the Agroecosystems Lab at UC Davis working under the guidance of Dr. Bruce Linquist and Dr. Chris van Kessel. His research addresses issues of nutrient cycling and soil fertility in California rice production systems with a particular focus on nitrogen fertilizer management practices and soil greenhouse gas emissions. He obtained his B.A. in Environmental Biology from Colgate University and his M.S. in International Agricultural Development from UC Davis. His career goal is to apply his training in agronomy and environmental science to international agricultural research and extension efforts.
Thomas Stein
United States of America
M.S. International Agricultural Development, University of California, Davis
Thomas has an interest in agricultural extension and technology adoption among vulnerable populations. He has a B.A. in International Studies and previous work experience working with refugee farmers from Burma, Iraq, Bhutan, Colombia, and Somalia who have migrated to the USA, Thailand, and Egypt. He was first introduced to rice production in Thailand, and have continued studying (the very different) production practices in California, USA. From this trip, he hopes to gain a solid multifaceted background in rice production and the various agricultural, biophysical, and economic issues involved that face growers and communities.
Kathleen Wood
United States of America
M.A. student in Rural Sociology at Pennsylvania State University
She previously worked in small-scale organic seed and vegetable production in the U.S., and managed an organic dairy operation. Prior to being a farmworker, Kathleen was an agricultural facilitator in southeastern Honduras with the National Bean Project and a local participatory plant-breeding group organized by subsistence farmers. In this role, she facilitated on-farm seed trials and coordinated information and technology exchanges between farmers and Zamorano University. Kathleen was also a community organizer partnering with Florida tomato pickers' just-wage campaign and a political advocate for non-profit agencies during the writing of the 2008 U.S. Farm Bill. Kathleen earned her B.A. from Gonzaga University. She was the recipient of the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship from the Congressional Hunger Center and received a Fulbright grant for her work in Honduras. Kathleen's current research focuses on the practices and influences of farmers growing improved varieties of beans in hillside communities of northwestern Honduras and the impact of U.S. food production and trade on agricultural labor conditions in the U.S. Kathleen hails from Colorado; she hopes to live beneath a mountain one day soon, preferably one with a climate for growing garlic and chili.