91传媒 graduate student selected for prestigious soil science endowment
Contact: Carson McFatridge
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥An agronomy student in Mississippi State鈥檚 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been awarded the university鈥檚 W.B. Andrews Endowment for Soil Science graduate fellowship.
Elizabeth Worley, of Pulaski, Tennessee, is set to graduate with her master鈥檚 degree from 91传媒鈥檚 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences this May before advancing directly into the department鈥檚 doctoral program.
Worley鈥檚 research examines optimal times for farmers to apply nitrogen to maximize yield, which is especially vital during a rainy spring like the one experienced this year. While her primary focus is corn, she has worked with most state-grown row crops.
鈥淭he research we are doing is important as we further our understanding of soil fertility and the approach used in managing nutrients in Mississippi,鈥 she said. 鈥淢y time in graduate school has been my favorite season of life. I have the best team and a strong network, and the work we are doing matters. My experience has been invaluable.鈥
Worley is under the direction of Vaughn Reed, assistant professor in the plant and soil sciences department and a scientist in the university鈥檚 Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. He noted the direct benefits Worley has received as the assistantship has allowed her to focus on her studies.
鈥淓lizabeth has grown in her writing ability and critical thinking, and she has taken charge in the classroom and the field. The whole team has benefited from her efforts. The data she is generating will provide valuable information for our state鈥檚 farmers, helping them increase profitability and improve efficiency,鈥 he said.
The award was named in honor of the late Baker Andrews, a 1929 and 1930 91传媒 alumnus and former agronomy professor. The endowment may fund graduate assistantships, equipment or research to improve soil science. The Andrews Family has long supported 91传媒 and agricultural research, funding the development of the MAFES W.B. Andrews Agricultural Systems Research Farm north of campus.
For more information on 91传媒鈥檚 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, visit . Find the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station at .
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