People

Our Team

Dr. Eric Olson

Assistant Professor

• Ph.D. – Kansas State University
• M.S. – North Carolina State University
• B.S. – University of Wisconsin – Platteville
• email: eolson@msu.edu

Dennis Pennington

Wheat Systems Specialist

• M.S. – Crop and Soil Science, Michigan State University
• B.S. – Crop and Soil Science, Michigan State University
• email: pennin34@msu.edu

Amanda Noble

Research Assistant II/S

• M.S. – Crop Science, North Carolina State University
• B.S. – Plant and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University
• email: nobleam1@msu.edu

Sammy Mitchell

Research Assistant I

• B.S. – Agricultural Education, Michigan State University
• email: mitch859@msu.edu

Aaron Newberry

Research Assistant I

• B.S. – Biosystems Engineering, Michigan State University
• email: newber36@msu.edu

Amelia Orr

Research Assistant I

• B.S. – Microbiology, Michigan State University
• email: orrameli@msu.edu

Current Graduate and Undergraduate Students

Jhon Concepcion

Ph.D Graduate Research Assistant

• B.S. – Biology, Central Luzon State University
• email: concep10@msu.edu

Tommy Reck

M.S. Graduate Research Assistant

• B.S. – Agricultural Education, Utah State University
• email: reckwill@msu.edu

Libby Ross

M.S. Graduate Research Assistant

• B.S. – Biotechnology, Ferris State University
• email: rosseli5@msu.edu

Trent Finegan

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Mattie Pennington

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Courtney Zaremba

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Former Graduate Students

Dr. Linda Brown

• Ph.D. – Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology, Michigan State University
• B.S. – Agronomy, Iowa State University

Jeff Kovach

• M.S. – Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology, Michigan State University
• B.S. – Molecular Genetics, Ohio State University

Selena Lopez

• M.S. – Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology, Michigan State University
• B.S. – Plant Science, University of Minnesota

Jon Turkus

• M.S. – Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology, Michigan State University
• B.S. – Biology, Hope College

Dr. Andrew Wiersma

• Ph.D. – Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology, Michigan State University
• M.S. – Weed Science, Colorado State University
• B.S. – Plant Biology, Calvin College

Melissa Winchester

• M.S. – Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology, Michigan State University
• B.S. – Biology, Aquinas College