Isaías Ariza Hernández (Ph.D. 2026) Thesis: Advancing predictive breeding in maize: Genomewide prediction of stability across environments and artificial intelligence-based emulation of breeder decisions; Current employer: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Inés Rebollo (Ph.D. 2025) Thesis: Genetic covariance between populations and chromosomal contributions to genetic variance in maize; Current employer: Bayer Crop Science, Minnesota
Patrick Sweet (Ph.D. 2022) Thesis: A novel mating design to optimize genomic selection efficiency for commercial corn breeding; Current employer: Syngenta Seeds, Illinois
Emmanuel Adeyemo (M.S. 2018; Ph.D. 2022) M.S. thesis: Predicting genetic variance from genomewide marker effects estimated from a diverse panel of maize inbreds; Ph.D. thesis: Combating Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat with genomic selection and computer vision technology
Elizabeth Blissett (Ph.D. 2019) Thesis: Genomewide selection in apple: Prediction and postdiction in the University of Minnesota apple breeding program
Sofia Brandariz Zerboni (Ph.D. 2018) Thesis: Genomewide selection and prospective targeted recombination in elite maize biparental crosses; Current employer: Bayer Crop Science, Uruguay
Nicholas C. Ames (Ph.D. 2018) Thesis: Genotype by environment interaction in 969 biparental maize populations across 1,395 environments; Current employer: Bayer Crop Science, Minnesota
Joshua Sleper (Ph.D. 2017) Thesis: The enigma of genetic linkage in molecular breeding for maize; Current employer: University of Florida
Amy Jacobson (Ph.D. 2014) Thesis: General combining ability model for genomewide selection: Accuracy, marker imputation, and genetic diversity within maize biparental populations; Current employer: Corteva Agriscience, Iowa
Lian Lian (Ph.D. 2014) Thesis: Genomewide prediction of genotypic values and genetic variances within 969 maize biparental populations
Lisa-Marie Krchov (Ph.D. 2014) Thesis: Multi-environment validation and efficiency of genomewide selection among maize doubled haploids
Emily Combs (Ph.D. 2012) Thesis: Genomewide selection: Prediction accuracy, marker imputation, and introgression of semidwarf corn germplasm; Current employer: Corteva Agriscience, Minnesota
Cathrine Ziyomo (Ph.D. 2012) Thesis: Genetic analysis to improve drought and low nitrogen tolerance of corn in monoculture and in a kura clover intercropping system; Current employer: Hekhani Seeds, Zimbabwe (founder and CEO)
Jon Massman (Ph.D. 2012) Thesis: Genomewide selection in maize: Improvement of grain yield and stover quality for cellulosic ethanol and prediction of hybrid performance; Current employer: Corteva Agriscience, Iowa
Christopher Schaefer (M.S. 2010; Ph.D. 2013) M.S. thesis: Breeding potential of semi-dwarf corn for grain and forage in the Northern U.S. Corn Belt; Ph.D. thesis: Historical Minnesota maize inbreds: Relatedness, diversity and marker associations for flowering time, kernel composition and disease resistance; Current employer: Corteva Agriscience, Minnesota
Magan Lewis (M.S. 2008) Thesis: Potential for simultaneous improvement of maize grain yield and stover quality for cellulosic ethanol; Current employer: Bayer Crop Science, Iowa
Patricio Mayor (Ph.D. 2008) Thesis: Joint use of doubled haploids and molecular markers to increase genetic gain in maize; Current employer: Syngenta, Argentina
Choo-kien Wong (M.S. 2007) Thesis: Genomewide selection in tree breeding: Increasing selection gain per unit time and cost with small populations in oil palm; Current employer: Advanced Agriecological Research, Malaysia
Robenzon Lorenzana (M.S. 2007, Ph.D. 2009) M.S. thesis: Genetic correlation between corn performance in organic and conventional production systems; Ph.D. thesis: Quantitative trait loci, trait correlations, and accuracy of genotypic value predictions for maize stover cell wall composition and glucose release for cellulosic ethanol; Current employer: Limagrain Field Seeds
Dindo Tabanao (Ph.D. 2006) Thesis: Genetic variance and small number of parents in maize breeding populations; Current employer: Corteva Agriscience, Philippines
Jennifer Taller (M.S. 2003) Thesis: Diverse adapted populations for improving northern maize inbreds
Martin Arbelbide (M.S. 2003, Ph.D. 2005) M.S. thesis: Random mating prior to selfing in maize backcross populations; Ph.D. thesis: In silico mapping from phenotypic, pedigree, and genomic data in self-pollinated crops; Current employer: Corteva Agriscience, Wisconsin
Jianming Yu (Ph.D. 2003) Thesis: Changes in genetic variance during advanced cycle breeding in maize; Current employer: Iowa State University
Hong Lu (Ph.D. 2001, Purdue University) Thesis: Segregation distortion and overdominance for heterosis in an elite maize single cross; Current employer: China Golden Marker (Beijing) Biotech Co. Ltd.
