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I have always had a passion for nature and food. As an environmental science major and soil science
minor at the University of Maryland, this is evident in what I choose to divert my undergraduate studies towards. Growing up in suburbia, however, has limited my knowledge of food production and
the environment largely to what I was able to learn in the classroom and my own passion projects.Working with Dr. Kurt Vollmer at the Wye Research and Extension Center in his research regarding weeds systems and herbicide functionality has begun to broaden my limited scope of knowledge and expand my biased understanding of agriculture.
My understanding of the UME program as a whole has largely been confined to the few bulletins and extension articles I have used for research papers throughout my brief time at university. It was not until I began work did I realize the full extent and importance of extension, not only in the state of Maryland through UME but extension as a whole to farmers, consumers, and the general public as a whole. Listening to the myriad of conversations among the faculty at the Wye, their discussions and concerns about fostering extension-farmer relations and tailoring their work in order to maximize the potential benefit for farmers was eye-opening in its indirect illustration of the importance of extension to farmers. This change in mentality is most directly exemplified by my previously unbeknownst bias against herbicides and ‘inorganic’ farming. When analyzing environmental concerns, it is easy to look at agriculture and shake a stern finger at farming operations as a result of their heavy environmental tolls. Listening to Dr. Vollmer's extensive knowledge of weeds and their consequences on farmers has shattered this preconceived notion of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and is forcing me to change my outlook on herbicides and pesticides as a whole.
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2023 Delmarva Weed Tour Cover Image- (Pictured above is a research field strewn predominantly with Erigeron canadensis, commonly known as marestail weed, at the Wye Research and Education Center after being sprayed with herbicide.)
When beginning this internship, I found it easy to compartmentalize this experience into a step in a series of steps leading me to my ultimate goal of working as an environmental restoration scientist. What Dr. Howard stated in his Careers in Programs and Organizational Development for Ag regarding experiences like these being “practical work experiences” most accurately encapsulates the benefit of this program. It is not only another step on the ladder towards achieving my goal of becoming a leader in the restoration fields but practical knowledge that can be utilized to achieve that goal. Under the guidance of Dr. Vollmer, in only a few short days, I have begun the process of learning the basics of weed identification, the systematics behind pesticide and herbicide functionality, of integrated pest management and the dissemination of such research projects to the intended target audience of farmers to improve their yield and minimize environmental degradation, in addition to basic field skills. I can now (relatively) distinguish a smooth pigweed from a lambsquarters, (relatively) operate an ATV, and (relatively) operate a flame weeder among a few tasks. These aforementioned skills, although not directly related to my desired field of study, have broadened my scope of knowledge so that I may use these practical skills and understanding of the processes behind those skills, to expand my limited worldview and become a more rounded student, researcher, and person as a whole. They serve to expand my comfort zone and force me to better myself under the guidance of those with experiences and knowledge different to my own so that I may go on and use this newfound understanding as a stepping stone in my career development.
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