Three NDSU plant sciences graduate students received travel scholarships to attend national meetings this summer. Amanda Crook received a scholarship to attend the 99th annual meeting of the Potato Association of America in Portland, Maine, July 19-23. John Stenger and Abigail Debner received scholarships from the American Society for Horticultural Science to attend the annual meeting in New Orleans Aug. 4-7. 

Crook, from Brandon, Manitoba, and Debner, from Winsted, Minnesota, are working on their master’s degrees. Stenger, from Herman, Minnesota, is working on his doctorate. Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, professor and high value crops specialist, advises all three students.

Crook was selected for the scholarship to attend the Potato Association of America based on the abstract for her oral presentation, “Marketability and Seed Production Effects from Glyphosate Drift Injury to Red Norland Potato.” The $1,500 scholarship will cover Crook’s travel expenses for the annual meeting.

To be eligible for the American Society for Horticultural Science scholarship, students must be a member of the group, enrolled in horticultural science as a major course of study and have submitted an abstract for an oral or poster presentation at the organization’s annual conference.

Stenger will present a poster titled “Environmental Stability in the Fall Acclimation Response of Cold-hardy Interspecific Hybrid Wine Grapes.” Debner will give an oral presentation titled “Rooting Single-node Floricane Blackberry Cuttings.”

Recipients of the travel award were selected by the Scholarship Awards Committee based on merit and geographical distribution. Stenger and Debner will each receive $500 to use toward their travel expenses for the annual meeting.

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