Alyssa Hicks is the new milling specialist at Northern Crops Institute (NCI). She earned a bachelor’s degree in milling science and management in 2010 from Kansas State University, Manhattan. In 2009, she was a mill intern at Dakota Growers Pasta, Carrington, N.D., and is a native of La Harpe, Kan.

“Alyssa is a great addition to our team,” says Brian Sorenson, NCI director. “She will help us grow our programs and services in the milling of wheat and other regional crops. She is off to a great start here at NCI, taking on the challenges of operating this mill with a lot of interest and energy.”

Hicks’ duties include providing expertise in flour milling for the wheat grown in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. In addition to operating the NCI pilot-scale swing mill, she will teach in NCI short courses and provide technical expertise for the promotion of northern-grown wheat.