top of page
Дизайн без назви.png
DSC01685%20(2)_edited.jpg

Marshall McDaniel  marsh@iastate.edu  |  google scholar 

Associate Professor in Soil-Plant Interactions | Agronomy Department at Iowa State University

 

The fearless leader, and mischief maker.

 

Hobbies:  My spare time is spent playing guitar and bass, mtn biking, playing board games (and card games). 

Lab Manager
reid barker.jpg

Reid Barker  rwbarker@iastate.edu

Research Scientist

Curious about water quality, soil health/conservation, and habitat conservation.

Hobbies: hunting, fishing, gardening, and cooking.

Professional & Scientific Staff
PrairieStripsTSmith078.jpg

Tim Youngquist  timyoung@iastate.edu

Agricultural Specialist

 

Curious about water quality, perennial crops, finding space for wildlife habitat within agricultural systems.

 

Hobbies: native plant propagation, ecological restoration, old house preservation, chickens, time with my family.

owl.jpg

Matt Woods  mwoods@iastate.edu

Agricultural Specialist

 

Curious about everything agronomy.

 

Hobbies:  music, sports, and outdoor activities.

Postdoctoral Researchers
Flater_edited.jpg

Jared Flater  jflater@iastate.edu    |   twitter

Postdoctoral Researcher, Ph.D. in Agriculture Biosystems Engineering from ISU in 2020

Curious about healthy soil microbiomes, belowground systems, improving agriculture through soil biology. 

 

Hobbies: running (esp. long distance), hiking and camping with wife and dog, conservation/naturalism.

Cole.jpg

Cole Dutter  cdutter@iastate.edu   |   google scholar

Postdoctoral Researcher, Ph.D. in Soil Science and Sustainable Agriculture from ISU 2022

 

Curious about cropping systems, soil health, farming externalities and sustainable agriculture.

 

Hobbies: beekeeping, backpacking, cycling, gardening and reading.

IMG_1161.jpg

Toby Adjuik  tadjuik@iastate.edu   |   google scholar    |   twitter

Postdoctoral Researcher, Ph.D. in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering from U. of Kentucky 2022

 

Curious about  soil greenhouse fluxes, process-based and machine learning modeling, and soil amendments.

 

Hobbies:cooking, listening to podcasts, soccer, and working out.

website photo_Khaleel.jpg

Ala Khaleel  akhaleel@iastate.edu   |   google scholar    |   twitter

Postdoctoral Researcher, Ph.D. Student in Soil Science and Environmental Science

 

Curious about soil health and water quality, deep soil organic C, and C & N cycling related enzymes. 

 

Hobbies: reading, camping, hiking, birdwatching, basketball, cooking, music, piano, time with my family.   

image_edited.jpg

Ashani Thilakarathne  ashanit@iastate.edu  

Postdoctoral Researcher

 

Curious about sustainable agriculture, water quality, soil health, cover crops and N2O emissions.

 

Hobbies: reading, dancing, cooking and traveling with family.

 

1000006820.jpg

Hyeonji Song  mhyeonjis@iastate.edu   

Postdoctoral Researcher, Ph.D. in Soil Science

Curious about soil C & N dynamics in climate change, soil and plant interactions in different cropping systems.

Hobbies: travelling, playing drum, something historical, listening to music.

villarino2_720.jpg

Sebastian Villarino  sh4@iastate.edu   |   google scholar

Postdoctoral Researcher, Ph.D. in Agrarian Sciences

Curious about soil organic matter, soil ecology, and agriculture sustainability.

Hobbies: camping, hiking, and listening to music.

Graduate Students
Malcolm.jpg

Malcolm St Cyr  mystcyr@iastate.edu   |   twitter

M.S. in Soil Science

 

Curious about soil formation and fertility, and using combination to manage soil-plant interactions.

 

Hobbies: discovering historical figures/places by reading or traveling, watching movies/documentaries,             listening to music, and having conversations.

JessicaN_edited.jpg

Jessica Nelson  jnelson9@iastate.edu

Ph.D. Student in Soil Science & Sustainable Agriculture

 

Curious about the plant-microbe-soil interactions, building resiliency, and producing more balanced food.

 

Hobbies: gardening, traveling, hiking, training, healthy food, crystal collecting, and spending time with animals.  

image_edited_edited.jpg

Ally Larson   aclarson@iastate.edu

M.S. in Agronomy

Curious about cover crops and the relationship between soil health and sustainable agriculture systems.

Hobbies: reading, spending time with family and friends, and anything outdoors.

thumbnail_IMG-5463.jpg

Max Eness  meness@iastate.edu

M.S. in Soil Science

Curious about the relationship between yield and sustainability, ag-based climate solutions and how plants influence their own environment. 

 

Hobbies: games of all sorts, fencing, wood working and all things history.  

IMG_1905.jpg

Mila Victorio Pessotto  pessotto@iastate.edu

Ph.D. in Agronomy

Curious about sustainable production systems, cover crops, soil fertility and soil health.

Hobbies: reading, barbecuing, and spending time with family and friends.

Megan Blauwet.jpg

Megan Blauwet  mblauwet@iastate.edu

M.S. in Soil Science

Curious about soil health, nutrient cycling, and agricultural sustainability.

 

Hobbies: hiking, traveling, taking care of house plants, and spending time with friends and family.

Michael C.jpg

Michael Cook  mlcook@iastate.edu

M.S. in Sustainable Agriculture, Soil Science

 

Curious about chemistry, soil fertility, mycology.

 

Hobbies: weightlifting, painting, cycling, guitar, and linguistics.

Summer.jpg

Summer Bjorn  summ@iastate.edu

M.S. in Soil Science

Curious about nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and soil ecology.

Hobbies: playing pickleball and racquetball, weightlifting, volunteering, and playing board games with my husband.

Undergraduate Students
image_edited_edited.jpg

Marisol Argueta-Hernandez   marisol1@iastate.edu

B.S. in Horticulture

Curious about sustainability and plant and floral recreation.

Hobbies: crafting, movie nights, and singing.

image_edited.jpg

Grace Wetterling   gracew27@iastate.edu

B.S. in Microbiology

Curious about plant, soil, and microbe interactions, the effects of cover cropping, and the future of our soils.

Hobbies: baking, cooking, reading, and puzzles.

T02A5KK5X2A-U057SS7834J-9a8465e5c402-512.png

Philip Young   youngp@iastate.edu

B.S. in Agronomy

Curious about soil microbiomes in cropping systems, soil structure formation, physics of runoff, and wetland dynamics.


Hobbies: cooking, reading, gaming, and enjoying nature.

Marina.jpg

Marina Guadagnucci   marinag@iastate.edu

B.S. in Agronomy

Curious about bioenergy production, commodities trading, soil health, and fertility.

Hobbies: hanging out with friends and family, painting, and cooking.

anastasiia_edited.jpg

Anastasiia Hutsal   hutsal@iastate.edu

B.S. in Healthcare Management

Curious about social media marketing, healthcare, and communications.

Hobbies: training animals, volunteering, and biking.

Dori_edited.jpg

Dori Waschkat   dori@iastate.edu

B.S. in Agronomy

​Curious about sustainable agriculture, cropping systems, and soil health.

​​

Hobbies: gardening, cooking, and hiking.

img_4565_720_edited.jpg

Alexis Brinkman   abrink22@iastate.edu

B.S. in Agronomy

​Curious about plant and soil interaction, as well as corn and soybean genetics.

​​

Hobbies: painting, hunting, reading, and hanging out with friends and family.

T02A5KK5X2A-U07M96A3A3A-0058a4b021f9-512

Grace Root   groot014@iastate.edu

B.S. in Agronomy

​Curious about cropping systems and GMO farming.

​​

Hobbies: sports, particularly soccer and basketball, camping, board and card games, and fishing. 

...this could be you

We are frequently looking for new people to join the lab.  Please contact us for details.

Lab Alumni Next Steps

Zach Simpson (Postdoc 2021-2022) - moved on to USDA-ARS in Ft. Collins, CO
Kate Glanville (Postdoc 2020-2021) - moved on to NRCS in Salina, Kansas
Britt Moore (Postdoc 2020-2021) - moved on to be faculty at University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Morgan Davis (Postdoc 2018-2020) - moved on to be faculty at 
University of Missouri

Mriganka De (Postdoc 2017-2020) - moved on to be faculty at Minnesota State University
Michael Lawrinenko (Postdoc 2017) - moved on to EPA in Ada, OK
Wes Kramer (M.S. in Agronomy) - moved on to Syngenta in Slater, IA
Christar Kin (B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering 2022, MBA 2023) - moved on to The Foth Companies 

Stephen Potter (M.S. 2019, Lab Manager) - moved on to Soil Water Outcome Fund in Ankeny, IA
Valeria Cano Camacho (M.S. 2022) - moved on to Practical Farmers of Iowa in Ames, IA

Derrick Kapayou (M.S. in Sustainable Agriculture & M.A. in Anthropology 2022) - moved on to pursue a Ph.D. at ISU
Emma Molburg (M.S. in Soil Science 2022) - moved on to NRCS in Galesburg, IL
Tomás Sitzmann (M.S. in Soil Science 2020) - moved on to pursue a Ph.D. at Grignani Labs at University of Turin
Teresa Middleton (M.S. in Soil Science 2019) - moved on to Iowa Soybean Association
Jacob Studt (M.S. in Soil Science 2019) - moved on to Heaton Lab at University of Illinois
Rebecca Baldwin-Kordick (M.S. in Soil Science 2018) - moved on to Mad Agriculture

Sydney Pottebaum (current undergraduate) - moved on to be a research assistant at USDA-ARS NLAE
Rebekah Veldboom (B.S. in Environmental Science 2024) -
moved on to USDA NRCS in Fairmont, MN
Estelle Venable (B.S. in Agronomy 2024) -
moved on to Roth Lab at ISU Agronomy
Sage Coffman (B.S. in Environmental Science & Agronomy 2024) -
moved on to pursue a M.S. at ISU (McMillan Lab)
Sokhna Khadija Mbacke (B.S. in Agronomy & Horticulture 2022) -
moved on to pursue a M.S at Purdue in Gomez Lab
Casey Luke (B.S. in Agronomy 2022) - moved on to pursue a M.S. in Geospatial Lab for Soil Informatics at ISU
Allee Koestner (B.S. in Agronomy 2022) - moved on to Advanced Agrilytics
Jean Etnyre (B.S. in Environmental Science 2021) - moved on to pursue a M.S. at Arizona State University
Terry West (B.S. in Agronomy 2021) - moved on to Omaha, NE

Haley Wilson (B.S. in Agronomy 2021) - moved on to the National Resource Conservation Service
Perla Carmenate (B.S. in Agronomy 2020) - moved on to pursue a 
M.S. at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Jack Pieper (B.S. in Agronomy 2020) - moved on to pursue a M.S. at Oregon State University
Justin Hunter (B.S. in Agronomy 2020) - moved on to pursue a M.S.
 at University of Missouri (Davis Lab)
Carrie Dodd (B.S. in Animal Ecology 2020) - moved on to be a technician at University of Texas A&M
Theresa Brehm (B.S. in Agronomy 2020) - moved on to pursue a M.S. at Ohio State University (Culman Lab)
Mitchell Roush (B.S. in Agronomy  2017) - moved on to pursue a 
M.S. at ISU Agronomy with Dr. Andrew Manu

Soil-Plant Interactions in the McDaniel Lab

bottom of page