Current Graduate Students
Aulakh, Sukhwinder ("Awluk") Ph.D. Danville Advisors: Dr. Veilleux Project: Field and Molecular characterization of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) germplasm and study of flowering locus genes. Main emphasis is improvement of crop for biomass and biofuel production. Email: ssaulakh@vt.edu |
 Benson, Brinkley Ph.D. Blacksburg Email: gbenson@vt.edu |
Carder, Phyllis M.S. Blacksburg Advisors: Dr. Welbaum and Dr. Ponder Email: phyllis3@vt.edu |
Carson, Luther M.S. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Freeman Email: lcarson@vt.edu |
 Dere, Madhavi Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Conev Email: msdere@vt.edu |
Giese, Gill Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Wolf Project: Investigation of the effect of root pruning and ground covers on vegetative Email: giese59@vt.edu |
Hatch, Tremain M.S. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Wolf Email: thatch@vt.edu |
Holt, Sarah Ph.D. Danville Advisor: Dr. Veilleux Project: Characterization of insertional mutants in Fragaria vesca. My work centers around the gene cloning and characterization of genes disrupted by T-DNA insertions in F. vesca. Email: holtsh@vt.edu |
Layman, Rachel M.S. Blacksburg Advisors: Dr. Harris and Dr. Day Project: Soil rehabilitation protocols are needed to assist arborists, landscape contractors, landscape architects, developers and planners to recommend and implement effective soil improvement methods that provide maximum root development and growth for urban and landscape trees. The main objective of this project is to evaluate several soil rehabilitation protocols on graded and heavily compacted sites to determine their effects on soil physical properties and tree establishment and growth. Email: ralayman@vt.edu |
Lindsay, Robert M.S. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Veilleux Email: rcl4@vt.edu |
Lu, Nan Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisors: Dr. Veilleux and Dr. Shulaev Project: My project focuses on developing an efficient transposon tagging system for gene discovery in strawberry functional genomics. Email: nanlu614@vt.edu |
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Manrique, Norma M.S. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Veilleux Email: manrique@vt.edu |
Mweetwa, Alice Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Tokuhisa Project: I am investigating the biosynthesis and regulation of steroidal glycoalkaloids in Solanum chacoense Bitter. My research involves a profile analysis of SGAs in different plant tissues and at different developmental stages and the corresponding transcript profiles of squalene synthase, a gene encoding squalene synthase which catalyzes the first committed step for sterol biosynthesis. I am also cloning and characterizing the squalene synthase in S. chacoense 80-1 and PI accessions. I am also evaluating high and low SGA producing accessions for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the squalene synthase gene and using that information to study the inheritance pattern of the gene in F1 and F2 generation of hybrid crosses. Email: mweetwam@vt.edu |
Ruiz-Rojas, Juan Jairo Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Veilleux Project: Characterization of T-DNA Insertional Mutants in Fragaria vesca L. and SNPs discovery Email: jruiz@vt.edu |
Stroud, Jeff M.S. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Beers |
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Tulyanon, Tatpong Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Welbaum Email: tulyanon@vt.edu |
Taylor, Linda Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Niemiera Project: Creating an online Woody Landscape Plants class and evaluating its usefulness and effectiveness. Email: lltaylor@vt.edu |
Weekly, John Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisors: Dr. Nowak and Dr. Harris Project: (1) I am currently working with Brinkley on developing a subterranean sensor suite for monitoring soil gas levels (oxygen, hydrogen & carbon dioxide) Email: jweekly@vt.edu |
Xu, Bin ("Bean") Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Zhao Project: Switchgrass genetic transformation. The project goal would be delivering genes of interest in suitable vectors to switchgrass to improve its biomass production and/or other characteristics related to biofuel production. Email: bin@vt.edu |
Zhu Hong (Hong Zhu) Ph.D. Blacksburg Advisor: Dr. Yuan Project: The long-term goal is to understand how key regulatory genes and environmental factors affect the effectiveness of chemical fruitlet thinners and establish a predictable fruit thinning program for consistent production of high quality apples. Email: redspide@vt.edu |