News About Our Alumni

Our Alumni

Ms. Jennifer (Arndt) Chaky, former M.S. graduate student of Dr. Lisa Vaillancourt (2000)

Ms. Chaky is Lead Plant Disease Diagnostician with DuPont Pioneer.  She has produced several informational videos that have been posted to YouTube.  For example:

Ear Rots and Molds
Southern and Common Rust in Corn
Brown Spot in Soybean

Dr. Pat Heist, former Ph.D. graduate student of Dr. Christopher Schardl (2003)

Dr. Heist is co-owner of Ferm Solutions in Danville, KY. Read about Dr. Heist and his current activities in:

The Proof of a Good Education (The mAGazine, Summer 2014)

Effect of Climate on Production and Quality of Bourbon Whiskey (TEDx Talk, March 2020))

Dr. Hua Li, former Ph.D. graduate student of Dr. Said Ghabrial (2014)

Dr. Li is a postdoctoral scholar in the UK Plant and Soil Sciences Department. Read about Dr. Li and her research in:

Stop me if I am restarting myself (featured article in Virology Highlights Blog, December 17, 2014)

Dr. Cathy Rehmeyer, former Ph.D. graduate student of Dr. Mark Farman (2003)

Dr. Rehmeyer is an associate professor at the University of Pikeville and is active in conducting gardening education programs in the Pikeville, KY area.  She is also the creator and author of a popular gardening blog. 

Read more about Dr. Rehmeyer’s activities:

Pikeville students reap the rewards of their winter garden all year long (article in Kentucky Teacher)
Mother of a Hubbard (gardening blog)

Dr. Maria Torres, former Ph.D. graduate student of Dr. Lisa Vaillancourt (2013)

Dr. Torres is a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University Weill Medical College in Qatar. Read about Dr. Torres and her current research in:

WCM-Q leading the way in date palm genetics (Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Report)
(Note: Dr. Torres is third from the left in the report’s photo).
Relocating: Middle Eastern promise (Nature-International Weekly Journal of Science)
(Note: Dr. Torres and her husband, Dr. Diego Cuadros, were both interviewed for this article.)