Assistant Professor

Ph.D. North Dakota State University 2000
Postgraduate Degree Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoze, Spain
B.Sc. Univeristy of Navarra, Spain

My general area of research is plant molecular genetics and genomics with an emphasis on applications to crops of interest to South Dakota agriculture. Currently my laboratory, in collaboration with other groups at SDSU, is working in the development of native grasses as feedstocks for ethanol production from cellulose. We are focusing on prairie cordgrass as a suitable biofuels grass species to be grown in this region of the country. We have several funded projects including collaborations with several industrial partners. My lab also has interests in other crops such as wheat and soybeans, particularly in the development and application of genomic solutions to plant breeding efforts.