2026 Corteva Travel Scholarship Recipients

Xavier Vinton Tacker

Xavier Vinton Tacker is a second-year Ph.D. student in the University of Florida's Plant Breeding Graduate Program, advised by Dr. Vance Whitaker in the Strawberry Breeding Program. As a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow his work sits at the intersection of phenomics, genomics, and machine learning, using NIRS and multispectral imaging to predict complex fruit quality parameters for rapid, non-destructive genotype evaluation. Xavier holds a B.S. in BioResource Research from Oregon State University where his multi-dimensional approach to plant breeding was shaped by undergraduate research spanning forest biotechnology (OSU), synthetic biology (Oak Ridge National Lab), and applied molecular biology (Corteva Agriscience). He is a first-generation college graduate passionate about empowering scientists of tomorrow through mentoring undergraduate researchers. After hours you can find him on a Florida beach with a carton of coconut water and a Bluetooth speaker.

Title: More Than Meets the Breeder’s Eye: AI Driven Progress Toward Digital Phenotyping for Fruit Quality 

Shem Elias

Shem Elias is a PhD candidate in Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Delaware, advised by Dr. Alyssa Betts (Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Plant Pathology) and co-advised by Dr. Emmalea Ernest (Assistant Professor and Extension Fruit & Vegetable Specialist). Originally from Tanzania, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and completed my Master’s training in Crop and Soil Science in the United States. His research focuses on quantitative genetic resistance to southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and white mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) in lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus). He integrates controlled-environment screening, multi-environment crop production, and statistical modeling to identify durable, breeding-ready resistance, with the broader goal of reducing reliance on agrochemical inputs by strengthening natural plant resilience in a changing climate.

Title: Quantitative Resistance to Southern Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) Identified in Lima Bean

Corteva Travel Scholarship

Introduced in 2016 to foster interaction between graduate students studying plant breeding at Texas A&M and the students studying plant breeding or related science at other institutions. The program encourages information exchange on research ideas and promotes networking among students at the symposium. The scholarship is solely administered by the symposium organizing committee and is fully funded by Corteva.

Graduate Travel Scholars Division

ABSTRACTS DUE JANUARY 31th, 2026

Two students will be selected to present oral keynote lectures during the day of the symposium. The presentation will be a 10 minute oral followed by 5 minutes of questions. In addition, awardees may present a poster of their research to allow for follow-up discussion during the poster session. Selected student finalists will receive a travel scholarship and hotel accommodations for the symposium. Finally, visiting travel scholars will have the opportunity to arrange meetings with local researchers the following day.


Eligibility for the Corteva Travel Scholarship

  • Applicants must be full-time graduate students at United States college affiliated institutions.

  • All applicants must upload their "Presentation Title”, "Presentation Abstract," and other required information into the student competition sign-up form.

  • All applicants must follow the abstract submission guidelines.

  • All applicants must send their research presentation electronically no later than the day prior to the scheduled presentation.

  • Applicant must agree to arrive on February 19th and leave on February 21st.

Criteria for selection of oral presentations for the prize-winning presentations

  • 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 will evaluate blind abstracts to select the three awardees.

  • In fairness to other participants, abstracts that are over the specific word limit will automatically be disqualified.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION