Anup Dhakal
Anup Dhakal is one of the Co-Chairs for the UIUC Corteva Plant Science Symposium 2025. Anup is a graduate student in the Small Grains Lab at the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, working under the supervision of Dr. Juan Arbelaez. His research focuses on enhancing oats' nutritional value and milling quality through phenomics, genomics, and metabolomics. His research also aims to develop breeding strategies to improve oat nutrition in response to changing environmental conditions.
Raysa Gevartosky
Raysa Gevartosky is a Co-Chair of the 2025 UIUC Corteva Plant Science Symposium and a Ph.D. candidate in plant breeding in Dr. Jessica Rutkoski’s lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on accelerating wheat improvement through an innovative approach that leverage high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) to impute phenotypes for rapid-cycle genomic selection. By integrating cutting-edge technologies, Raysa aims to enhance the efficiency and impact of modern breeding strategies. In her free time, Raysa enjoys quality time with friends and family, unwinding in yoga classes, and hitting the pavement for a good run.
Lucas Berger Munaro
Lucas Berger Munaro is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, under the guidance of Dr. Jessica Rutkoski. His research focuses on accelerating winter wheat breeding to enhance profitability and sustainability in Midwest agriculture, particularly within a wheat-soybean double-crop system. Lucas specializes in developing multi-trait selection strategies using selection index theory in the context of genomic prediction. His goal is to optimize selection for 'total net merit' in soft red winter wheat. Upon completing his Ph.D. Lucas aspires to pursue a career as an applied scientist in the plant breeding industry. Outside of his academic pursuits, he enjoys running, camping, hiking, and grilling traditional Brazilian barbecue.
Jeremy Logrono
Jeremy Logrono is the Webmaster for the UIUC Corteva Plant Science Symposium 2025. He is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate focusing on plant breeding at the University of Illinois, working under the direction of Dr. Jessica Rutkoski. His research focuses on developing new locally adapted, value-added wheat varieties using novel speed breeding and genomic selection strategies. Jeremy aspires to become a plant breeder and work in the private sector. In his free time, he enjoys running, mountain biking, hiking, Muay Thai, camping, and exploring different ethnic cuisines.
Sheila Scheffel
Sheila Scheffel is a Ph.D. candidate in the U. of I. Small Grains Improvement group under Dr. Juan Arbelaez. Her research focuses on understanding the genetic architecture of heat stress in small grains and developing breeding strategies to improve heat tolerance. Sheila loves being outside, reading, appreciating good beer, going out, and most of all, enjoying family, friends and her beastly dog, Betty.
Sahil Redhu Sahil
Sahil is a Second-year master's student in Dr. Babadoost's lab, specializing in plant pathology. He earned his bachelor's degree with honors in agricultural sciences.. Currently, Sahil’s research focuses on the evaluation of the effectiveness of potential fungicides to control the growth of Phytophthora capsici in the laboratory and pumpkin field.
John Enriquez
John Enriquez is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is conducting his research under the mentorship of Dr. Eliana Monteverde, focusing on soybean breeding and genetics. His work centers on the genetic improvement of seed composition traits and key agronomic characteristics that influence yield and adaptability across diverse environmental gradients. As an aspiring plant breeder, he aims to support agricultural innovation by integrating classical breeding methods with modern genomic tools and data-driven approaches to accelerate the selection process and contribute to the long-term improvement of crop performance.
Ava Isaacs
Ava Isaacs is a second year Master’s student working under the guidance of Dr. Fred Below in the Crop Physiology Laboratory at UIUC. Her research is focused on agricultural biologicals and nutrient use efficiency. Primarily how biologicals differ in efficacy across unique environments or regions and how their effectiveness changes when utilized in different management systems or across unique hybrid/variety genetics. Her project concentrates on improving fertilizer use efficiency, as well as the impacts that biologicals may have on soil and plant health. In her free time Ava enjoys spending time with friends, playing pickleball, hiking, and playing the harmonica.
Sreya Venadan
Sreya Venadan is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working under the guidance of Dr. Steven Clough and Dr. Matthew Hudson. Her research centers on the molecular characterization of major fungal diseases affecting soybean, including red crown rot and Asian soybean rust. She is particularly interested in exploring the genome architecture and genetic variability of these pathogens to better understand their evolution and impact on crop health. Sreya’s long-term goal is to advance the field of plant genetics, with a focus on developing sustainable solutions for crop disease resistance. Outside the lab, she enjoys painting, reading, hiking, camping, and immersing herself in nature.
Talissa Oliveira Floriani Z Souza
Talissa is in the communication committee for the UIUC Corteva Plant Science Symposium 2025. She is an agronomist with a master's in Genetics and Plant Breeding from the University of São Paulo, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture. Currently, Talissa is a first year Ph.D. Student and Graduate Research Assistant at The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Department of Crop Sciences. Her work is related to genetics and plant breeding, emphasizing statistical genetics analysis in sorghum where she is currently developing a machine learning approach for unveiling rare variants and enhancing genotype-phenotype associations.
Vidhi Desai
Vidhi Desai is a master’s candidate in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, under the guidance of Dr. Mathew Hudson. Her research focuses on Soybean Cyst Nematodes, especially studying effects of ethylene on soybeans. Her project focuses on analyzing chemicals that are resistant to Soybean Cyst Nematode and studying metabolites that contribute to defense against this pathogen. Her goal is to select soybean lines that are resistant to Soybean Cyst Nematode and reduces its effect on soybean yield. After completing her Master’s Vidhi wants to pursue a Ph.D. in studying plant biotechnology and pursue a career as a botanist in biotechnology industry. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys playing badminton, cooking, baking chocolate cakes, Bollywood dancing, painting and celebrating cultural Indian festivals.
Rishabh Singh
Rishabh serves as the Financial Co-Chair for the Plant Science Symposium 2025. He is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Weed Molecular Biology and Genomics Lab working with Dr. Patrick Tranel. His research focuses on understanding the molecular basis of herbicide resistance in weeds. Outside of academics, Rishabh enjoys road trips, spending time outdoors, and playing volleyball. He is also passionate about learning and exploring cultures and traditions from around the world.