By Blake Jackson
University of Kentucky has selected 12 students for the first group of Tracy Farmer Scholars focused on sustainability and environmental research. The program supports undergraduate and graduate students conducting projects related to agriculture, conservation, food systems, and environmental challenges.
The Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment selected eight graduate students and four undergraduate students for the inaugural cohort. Each student receives a $6,000 fellowship to support research during the summer or the 2026-27 academic year. Students also work closely with faculty mentors while sharing ideas across different academic disciplines.
“The Tracy Farmer Scholars represent the next generation of environmental and sustainability research in the Commonwealth,” said Lauren E Cagle, Ph.D., Tracy Farmer Institute director and associate professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies. “Our investment in scholars is an investment in an environmentally resilient and sustainable future.”
The selected undergraduate students include Ella K. Shields, Amanda Carrithers, Md. Himel Ahamed Joy, and Anish Penmecha. Graduate students selected for the program include Lucca Madeo Cortarelli, Muhammad Usman Yousaf, Motunrayo Oladele, Jessica Nwafor, Skylar Gillies, Cat Lamb, and Isabel Anne Tessier Shirey.
Student research topics include environmental risk management, sustainable agriculture, plant diseases, chemistry, forestry, sociology, and natural materials used in art. One project studies environmental risks connected to Florida’s Space Coast region, while another explores natural plant and animal materials for artistic practice.
Several students are also conducting agricultural research connected to crop health and sustainable food systems. Undergraduate student Ella Shields is studying strawberry varieties for resistance to Neopestalotiopsis, a disease affecting Kentucky strawberry production. Researchers hope the work may support stronger breeding programs and reduce chemical use.
“By identifying less susceptible cultivars, I hope to support more resilient breeding, reduce reliance on chemical controls and advance a more sustainable future for strawberry growers,” said Shields. “This fellowship will allow me to expand that work and better serve growers.”
For more information on the Tracy Farmer Scholars, visit research.uky.edu/tfise/scholars.
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Categories: Kentucky, Education