By Whitney Baxter
Prescott Jeckel is a fan of “going and doing” – trying new things, learning new skills – which has led to a wealth of experience and a full-time position following graduation this semester.
An Illinois native from a farming family, Jeckel, a senior, was debating between agronomy or biochemistry as a major. Ultimately, he decided on biochemistry because he knew he could become an agronomist with a biochemistry background, but not the other way around.
In addition to experience working in the labs of faculty in Iowa State University’s Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology (BBMB), Jeckel wanted to participate in off-campus internships to gain more knowledge.
“Working in labs on campus is great, but working in industry gives you new perspectives,” Jeckel said.
That is why, when he saw an email from Claire Kruesel, BBMB undergraduate program coordinator, announcing a semester-long internship with Corteva Agriscience, he jumped at the opportunity.
He was assigned to work in the protein engineering optimization and design department at Corteva’s Johnston, Iowa, headquarters. He experimented with insecticidal proteins, testing their effectiveness against insects and identifying ways to improve the proteins. The long-term goal of such research is to enable plants to produce those insect-deterring proteins, eliminating the need for insecticides.
Throughout the experience, Jeckel made a point to introduce himself to employees at Corteva, getting to know them and learning about their projects.
“They were such a wealth of knowledge that if I hadn’t gone and talked to them, I wouldn’t have learned as much as I did,” Jeckel said.
Samuel Tufts, a current Corteva employee and 2019 biochemistry alum, was one of those employees. Tufts was part of the early stages of Jeckel’s assigned project.
“Prescott is very creative, kind and gentle. He has a personality so inviting that you can’t help but want to help him learn and grow as a scientist,” Tufts said.
Jeckel’s internship led to Corteva offering him a full-time position. Following graduation in May, Jeckel will begin working as a research associate at the company’s Princeton, Illinois, location. He credits the “snowball effect” of all his internship experiences, including one at Bayer, for landing him a job where he can continue putting what he has learned into practice.
He advises fellow students: “Any chance you have to put yourself ahead of other job candidates in terms of experience, take advantage of it.”