As part of the GOMA project, Joshua Stanley with Senior Researcher Brandon James, PhD from the Swaminathan Lab, are studying transgenic grass callus overexpessing RFP (in red on the screen).
... and keep trying
various scientific fields and preparing students for the future,” Dr. Ezell added.
“Students today need bench strength to go into key fields,” Dr. Ezell said, “and this program allows companies and organizations to have a pool of top-tier, diverse talent to pull from.” AN EVER-CHANGING FIELD One of the draws of this program, and this field, is that it is always changing. “Research is always growing, some- thing new is discovered every year. Nothing is the same,” Joshua said. “As a doctor, you learn every year, but you are doing the same thing over the course of time. But with scientific research, everything is changing. When an experiment fails, you have something new to work with.” That outlook is something that, Dr. Ezell says, is necessary to succeed. “It is important to have a growing perspective, especially in this era where the marketplace is shifting. There is a great possibility around the future of innovation. HudsonAlpha is not only a leader in that space in Alabama but across the country.” The program allows students to change and enact a learning curve themselves. That will make the next generation of diverse STEM leaders and scientists. “It’s great to see HudsonAlpha is committed to not only diversity but also providing a bridge from the HBCU to
EXPOSURE WHEN THERE IS NONE The HBCU GOMA Co-op Program exposes students who may not have the opportunity or knowledge of certain jobs or skills to different careers and paths. Joshua is no dif- ferent. “This program exposed me to a whole new variety of jobs, careers, and fields I can go into and different types of science that I didn’t know about at first. In my commu- nity, it’s taught that you should be a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. Nobody ever said, “go be an agro-science major or work in crops.” It is a perfect example of why programs like GOMA at HudsonAlpha are essential. “Opening up the door and showing students the different paths they can take, and having them figure it out, is the best way to do that,” Dr. Ezell added. As for Joshua, his time at HudsonAlpha, in the agri- science field, and the HBCU GOMA Co-op program helped him decide his next move. If he can’t spend all his time playing the mellophone, “I want to get my master’s in plant science at A&M. They have a great agriculture program.” ■
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