Page 21 - CFANS 2021 Graduate Commencement Program

Guest Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Arif Husain (’92 Applied Economics, MS ’96 and PhD ’97, Ag & Applied Economics) currently serves as Chief Economist and Director of Research, Assessment and Monitoring for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
Arif joined WFP in 2003 and since then he has served in many senior positions
both in the field and at Headquarters. Arif’s work focuses on analyzing food security and welfare conditions in developing countries to inform humanitarian response
His research interests include application of information technologies to improve humanitarian response; understanding linkages between poverty, hunger, conflict and migration; and analysing how global economic shocks impact food security, social protection and emergency and development assistance
Student Speakers
Sharon Perrone (MS ’18, PhD ’21, Applied Plant Sciences) is interested in the
ways in which science, policy, education, and culture interact to impact landscape- scale agricultural change with a focus on soil quality Her master’s work evaluated nitrogen cycling and rhizobial colonization of winter-hardy hairy vetch as applicable to Midwest cropping systems Her dissertation work investigates NRCS’s proposed soil health metrics for evaluation across soil types and agricultural management systems Sharon’s broader interest is to integrate science-based low-input soil conservation practices into national agricultural extension, outreach, and policy in order to regenerate soils as a form of community wealth Sharon has served on the Graduate Student Board since 2019, representing the APS program
Tamara Walsky (MS ’21, Water Resources Science) is researching pathogens and antibiotic resistance in stormwater reuse systems As an environmental microbiologist, she aspires to understand the roles and functions of microorganisms and how they intersect and impact human and environmental health and quality Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, she did not know anything about Minnesota before she moved here but remains very pleased with this decision
Tamara has served on the Graduate Student Board since 2019, representing the WRS program, and served as Chair of the Board during the 2020–21 academic year
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