This story was first published in the Davis College NewsCenter. See the original article here.
Two outstanding students from the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources were recognized as winners in the 23rd Annual Texas Tech Graduate Student Poster Competition, during which graduate and post-doctoral students presented their research to general, non-specialized audiences while using posters as visual aids.
“We are proud of the accomplishments of our graduate students. This reflects the outstanding work of our faculty in the Davis College,” said Noureddine Abidi, Davis College Associate Dean for Research. “We appreciate the dedication of our faculty to mentoring and advising our graduate students.”
The poster contest event was held on Friday (Mar. 8) at the university's Student Union Building's Red Raider Ballroom.
The 2024 winners from Davis College are:
Oluwatola Adedeji (Biological Life Sciences I - 1st Place) is a Ph.D. student and Graduate Research Assistant (Crop Ecophysiology & Precision Agriculture) within Texas Tech's Plant & Soil Science Department. His poster was titled “Assessing Precision Irrigation Management using Satellite Remote Sensing.” Adedeji's advisor is Associate Professor Wenxuan Guo from the Department of Plant & Soil Science. Adedeji has almost a decade of professional experience utilizing cutting-edge remote sensing and GIS technology in environmental studies. His research broadly centers on precision irrigation management and water stress assessment in cotton for sustainable agriculture. In 2023, Adedeji and Guo published a book chapter on Advances in remote/aerial sensing of crop water status. Adedeji received his master's degree in environmental science from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria (2017).
Grace Akumu (Biological Life Sciences II- 2nd Place) She is a Ph.D. student and Graduate Research Assistant (Food safety - Microbiology) within Texas Tech's Department of Animal & Food Sciences. Her poster was titled, “Evaluation of the In Vitro potential of Bacillus subtillis and velezensis against Salmonella Typhimurium as candidate biocontrol agents.” Akumu's advisor was Professor Angela Shaw in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences. Akumu has a strong background in food science and human nutrition, with more than six years of experience in project management, designing, and conducting research in food safety, nutrition, and food systems. She received her bachelor's degree and master's degree in in food science and technology at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Her research broadly focuses on developing intervention strategies to control and prevent foodborne pathogens and toxins from entering the food supply at pre- and post-harvest stages, as well as along the supply chain.
While the competition was held in-person at the Student Union Building, long-distance students had the opportunity to submit video presentations for consideration in the virtual category. Students were evaluated by a panel of judges from Texas Tech and the Lubbock community.