2025 TAMU Research Competition Winners
Graduate Student Level
Fabian Leon
Fabian Leon is a PhD candidate in Plant Breeding at Texas A&M University. He is part of the Texas A&M Sorghum breeding program, under Dr. William Rooney. Fabian received his M.S. in Plant Breeding from Texas A&M University and his B.S. in Agricultural Biotechnology from the University of Kentucky. He is from Nicholasville, Kentucky and Guanajuato, Mexico. Fabian is a past Borlaug Scholar in the National Association of Plant Breeders and past Encompass Fellow with ASA-CSSA-SSSA.
Title: Genomic Prediction for Texas A&M University's Grain Sorghum Hybrids
Steven Schneider
Loosely living by the motto “Have a dream but follow the opportunity,” I started out as a high school science teacher after failing to get into a medical program. Loved it and learned a lot, particularly about native plants and arthropods. Then, an opportunity to earn an M.Ed. in science education opened the door to teaching biology at the community college. Teaching at the community college exposed me to Dr. Villalon (Dr. Pepper), who brought opportunities to supervise students working with scientists at Texas Agrilife Weslaco, and the TAMUK Citrus Center. As such, I eventually stole an opportunity to be a temporary worker for 1 year at the Citrus Center and that altered the course of my career. I went back to school for an M.S. in Plant Science (plant breeding) at Missouri State where I was later hired as an instructor. Currently, I am working toward a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding via the distance program at Texas A&M University.
Title: Genetic Study of Dormant Rooting in a Vitis aestivalis-based Population
Nick Shepard
Nick is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Molecular & Environmental Plant Sciences at Texas A&M University, under the co-supervision of Dr. David Stelly and Dr. Wayne Smith. His research focuses on developing and validating an AI-driven phenomic and genomic selection framework for improving upland cotton. Through comprehensive evaluation of novel breeding populations, marker-assisted selection, and advanced phenotyping techniques, Nick investigates how integrating AI-driven phenomics with genotypic selection can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of cotton breeding. His work addresses the challenges of identifying high-performing cotton genotypes amidst complex environmental variability and genetic interactions. His career aspirations center on collaborating with breeders and producers to integrate data science, AI methodologies, and phenomic/genomic approaches to accelerate crop improvement and agricultural sustainability.
Title: Deep Learning-Based High-Throughput Detection of Flowered Maize (Zea mays L.) Plots from UAS Imagery Across Environments
Undergraduate Level
Daniel Kwong
Daniel Kwong is a sophomore at Texas A&M University pursuing a double degree in Horticulture and Plant and Environmental Soil Science. His research interests include innovating food and production systems through his interests in agriculture, soil science, and plant breeding. After undergrad, he's interested in furthering his education through graduate school.
Title: Nascent Diagnostic and Assessment Protocols and Exploration in Hop Latent Viroid (HLVd) Detection in Hemp
Student Research Competitions
The 11th annual Texas A&M Plant Breeding Symposium will host two distinct student research competitions that invite students to deliver oral and poster presentations. The symposium will be held on February 20th, 2025 at the Annenberg Conference Center on the Texas A&M campus.
Our theme is "From Field to Data: Evolving Roles of Plant Breeders.".
Graduate and undergraduate students conducting research in plant sciences or related fields are encouraged to participate in the competitions. These events are designed to promote and encourage students to communicate their research to peers as well as network with the wider plant science community.
Abstract submission can be found at the bottom of the web page.
General Contest Rules:
Oral and Poster presenters must also register to be a symposium attendee.
Oral and poster presenters are selected from TAMU and external Universities. - — Please visit the “Travel Scholars” tab if you are a student non-TAMU University
Presenters must abide by the Aggie Code of Honor: "An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal or tolerate those who do."
All presenters must agree to share their research pieces electronically.
Students in the Graduate Student Organizing Committee are ineligible to receive scholarship awards but may enter their research posters to receive useful feedback on their work.
Oral Presentations
Texas A&M Graduate and Undergraduate Student Oral Divisions
ABSTRACTS DUE January 31st, 2025
Three graduate and one undergraduate TAMU students will be selected to present oral keynote lectures during the main symposium event. The talks will be 10 minutes in duration and will be followed by a Q&A session. Students signing up for the oral presentation must submit an abstract. Primarily selected students will be informed second week of January. The oral winners will be informed at the end of January.
All selected TAMU students will receive $250 awards.
Criteria for selection of oral presentations for the prize-winning presentations
All primarily selected students need to present a lightening talk via ZOOM to get finally selected.
The originality of the research presented, which may or may not be explicitly related to the symposium theme.
The quality of the writing (including clarity, grammar, and understandable)
The interest of the subject matter and approach
The suitability of the conference presentation (including appropriate length, clear results obtained, and appropriate conclusions.
The Graduate Student Organizing Committee team will evaluate abstracts blindly to select the three oral keynote speakers and undergraduate oral speaker.
If selected to give an oral presentation, follow the guidelines provided below:
Each oral presentation is limited to 10 minutes. The purpose of the rapid oral is to sell your research. The time restriction will be strictly enforced.
Guidelines:
The oral presentation should include ~3-5 presented slides and one acknowledgements/questions slide:
Title slide (six words)—uses the question as the title and lists authors/co-authors and their respective institutions.
Results—one slide, including figure/table. Use SI units in text, figures, and tables.
Recommendations / summary slide.
Acknowledgments / questions slide.
Poster Presentations
Graduate and Undergraduate Student Poster Divisions
ABSTRACTS DUE JANUARY 31st, 2025
The poster contest is open to graduate and undergraduate students at Texas A&M University and non-Texas A&M students. Participants will deliver a presentation to a panel of judges on a specified time, in-person. Organizing member will notify you the details by email. The top three winners will be announced on the day of the symposium. Prizes will be awarded in the amounts of $250, $150, and $100 for first, second, and third places respectively, to the winners of the graduate and undergraduate divisions.
Students participating in the poster presentations must submit their title and abstract by January 31st, 2025.
As a poster presenter, you will need follow the guidelines provided below:
You are required to print and bring your own poster. Two poster viewing sessions will take place, TBA, on the symposium day.
Guideline:
1. Poster size should not exceed 42" x 42”, suggested size is 42" x 36". Poster boards are 42" x 42" and will be provided the morning of the event.
2. Titles, authors names, and affiliations should appear on the top of the poster.
3. The text, illustrations, etc. should be big enough to be read from a distance of five feet.
4. Presenting authors are urged to include an author photograph to assist in author identification. Do not prepare a poster as if it were a manuscript. Primarily, use tables and figures and use limited verbiage.
5. Double-sided tape, Pushpins or Velcro buttons will be provided for the mounting of posters.
6. Stand in front of your poster during the poster viewing sessions.
7. Present poster during both poster viewing sessions regardless of judging. We will assign a poster number for your abstracts that will be sent closer to the event date. Judges will come to see your poster during either session.
Abstract Guideline
All abstracts must be submitted via this abstract submission form. Please note that the organizers are not able to accept abstracts submitted via e-mail.
Abstracts must be received by the announced deadline. Abstracts received after the deadline will not be considered.
Abstracts must be original and submitted in English.
Each abstract should not exceed 250 words.
The abstract title should not exceed 25 words.
In fairness to other participants, abstracts that are over the specific word limit will automatically be disqualified.
The following structure must be followed when submitting an abstract:
Background 2. Methods 3. Results 4. Conclusion