Team
Current Program Members
Miguel S. Castillo (Project Leader, mscastil@ncsu.edu)
Miguel is originally from Loja, Ecuador, South America. He received his B.S. in Agricultural Science and Animal Production from Zamorano Pan-American School (Honduras, Central America), M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Agronomy from University of Florida (Gainesville, FL, USA), and MBA from NC State University (Raleigh, USA). He joined the Crop Science Department at NC State in August 2013.
Bessy S. Velazquez (Research Assistant, braudal@ncsu.edu)
I am from Tela, Honduras, Central America, one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. I am a happy mother of two little girls and a happy wife. I love to work in research which is what I have been doing since I graduated with a B.S. in crop and animal sciences from Zamorano University, Honduras. I also studied an MBA from UNITEC Honduras. I am grateful for my family and my professional career. I love the sea, seafood, dancing, swimming and enjoying life. I like to make the life of others around me a little bit better and happier.
Laura V. Bautista (MS in progress, lvbautis@ncsu.edu)
Laura was born in Colombia, South America. She earned her B.S. in Agronomy/Ag. Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Prior to joining NC State, she did an internship in a sugarcane mill in Colombia, then in 2022 she was a graduate trainee at Glade Crop Care Inc. in Florida, USA and then a graduate short-term scholar at the Everglades Research and Education Center at the University of Florida where she worked on projects to monitor pests affecting lettuce and peppers. She joined us at NC State in Fall 2024 .
Nicolas M. Calvete (MS in progress, nmcalvet@ncsu.edu)
Nicolas is from Bucaramanga, Colombia, South America. He studied in Unidades Tecnológicas de Santander and then graduated from Zamorano Pan-American School of Agriculture (Honduras, Central America). Prior to joining us at NC State, he was a short-term scholar at Penn State, State College, focused on dairy cattle, nutrition and fatty acid research . He joined us at NC State in Fall 2024.
Past Program Members
Post-docs and Visiting Scientists
Dr. Jorge Maicelo, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza, Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru
Dr. Carlos Gomez, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru
Dr. Eduardo Fuentes Navarro, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru.
Dr. Hector Vasquez, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza, Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru.
Dr. Juan J. Romero, University of Maine, USA.
Dr. Heba Salama, University of Alexandria, Egypt.
Dr. Eduardo Alava, Escuela Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Ecuador.
Alumni
Stephanie Sosinski, Graduate Student (MS) and Research Technician
Dante Pizarro, Short-term graduate scholar
Raul Rivera, Graduate Student (MS)
Marcelo Gutierrez, Short-term Graduate Scholar
Perejitei Bekewe, Graduate Student (M.S.)
Izamar Gonzales, Short-term Graduate Scholar
Tommaso Gaifami, Short-term Graduate Scholar
Ruby Vega Ravello, Short-term Research Scholar
Adam Heitman, Graduate Student (M.S.)
Diego J. Contreras, Short-term Undergraduate Scholar, Honduras
Mari Dalman, Short-term Undergraduate Scholar, USA
Marco Balseca, Short-term Graduate Scholar
Jinwoo Park, Short-term Undergraduate Scholar
Yuchen Zhao, Short-term Graduate Student Scholar
Young ho, Joo, Short-term Graduate Student Scholar
Axel Gonzáles Murillo, Short-term Undergraduate Scholar