AMES, Iowa – Three Iowa State University doctoral students were recently selected for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) 2026-2029 Fellows Program, an honor that recognizes emerging leaders poised to shape the future of agriculture. The fellowship provides support for a three-year program of professional development and career guidance for the next generation of scientists studying food- and agriculture-related sciences in the U.S. and Canada.
The Iowa State students selected are:
- Mayowa Aderoju, in the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology,
- Nate Bowser, in the Department of Agronomy, and
- Oliver Nell, in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice.
Mayowa Aderoju
Mayowa Aderoju is exploring diagnostic and management strategies for seed-borne diseases to improve seed health. He is working with the Seed Science Center (SCC) under the guidance of Scott Heuchelin, director of SSC, professor of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology.
Aderoju’s background is in plant pathology, and he has a passion for seed health research. He earned a bachelor’s degree in crop, soil and pest management from the Federal University of Technology Akure in Nigeria, and a master’s in plant pathology from North Dakota State University, where he focused on managing Sclerotinia diseases in sugar beets. Later, he interned and worked as a research technician at Corteva Agriscience, optimizing disease assays for corn and soybean.
“I chose Iowa State because of its world-class plant pathology program and the Seed Science Center's leadership in seed health research,” Aderoju said. “My experiences at Corteva and my conversations with Dr. Gary Munkvold, now retired, and Dr. Heuchelin helped me realize this was the perfect place to continue my journey.”
“The FFAR Fellowship represents the intersection of three areas that have shaped my career goals: scientific discovery and implementation, stakeholder and farmer impact, and agricultural advocacy," said Aderoju. “I look forward to the experience of FFAR cohort visit to the Capitol to communicate about the value of research" he continued. "More importantly, the fellowship will be an important opportunity to network and gain industry insights.”
Read more about Mayowa Aderoju.
Nate Bowser
Nate Bowser, is studying plant breeding, working with advisor Jianming Yu, Pioneer Distinguished Chair in Maize Breeding and director of the Raymond F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding.
Bowser came to Iowa State after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agronomy and plant breeding from Purdue University. His work focuses on understanding the genetic mechanisms of trade-offs between yield components in sorghum and understanding how plants respond to the environment.
An internship in Brazil and experience in the World Food Prize Youth Program both contributed to Bowser’s interests in plant breeding and alleviating poverty.
“Sorghum is an important crop around the world,” Bowser said. “I am seeking to understand the underlying systems influencing its performance, with the hope of improving yield to ultimately benefit farmers.”
He is also working on improving the genetic diversity of maize in the United States, contributing to a large collaborative project with the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) program that has a goal of evaluating the usefulness of various GEM-released lines within commercial breeding programs. The Iowa Crop Improvement Association is helping sponsor his FFAR fellowship.
“This is a huge opportunity,” Bowser said. “I am especially excited to become part of a high-level network of FFAR Fellow alumni and have the extra professional development through the program to enhance our “soft skills,” including interpersonal and science communications.”
Oliver Nell
Oliver Nell, rural sociology and sustainable agriculture, has a focus on the role of private sector organizations and initiatives to support farm conservation practices. He is working with advisor J. Arbuckle, professor of rural sociology.
Nell has bachelor’s degrees in music and English, and master’s degrees in arts administration from Indiana University and rural sociology from Auburn University.
As he was working on his master’s, he worked on a program that encouraged farmers to use cover crops. “That really sparked my interest in differences between governmental and other types of conservation programs – such as nonprofits, trade associations and ag retailers -- and how they influence adoption rates,” Nell said.
Growing up in a rural area, Nell said he has long been interested in rural culture and what shapes it.
“I think my diverse background has all been very serendipitous to lead me to where I am now. With the current changes in structuring support for conservation, I think it’s a good time for this area of study, and Iowa is an ideal place to explore it.”
Visit the FFAR website to view the full list of the 2026 FFAR Fellows and get more information about the FFAR Fellows program.
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Contacts:
Ann Y. Robinson, Agriculture and Life Sciences Communications, 515-294-3066, ayr@iastate.edu