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eco • agronomy: Applied research to help agriculture be - highly productive - ecologically sound - climate ready |
About
Agriculture is a science, an economic activity, a major land use, and a way of life. We expect a lot from agriculture, and depend on it in countless ways. I am interested in understanding where agriculture needs to go in the coming decades and figuring out ways to get there.
I am a PhD candidate in Agronomy at Penn State with a minor in Ecology. I am working with Dr. David Mortensen in the Weed and Applied Plant Ecology Lab. My current research focuses on using cover crops to improve cropping system productivity, sustainability, and resilience in the face of challenging climatic conditions. I am investigating how cover crops affect drought stress in the subsequent corn crop, since drought is expected to become more frequent and severe under climate change. I am also interested in how diverse cover crop "cocktails" can be used to broaden the benefits of cover cropping, including by contributing to ecological weed management. I primarily work in a field experiment titled “Finding the Right Mix: Multifunctional Cover Crop Cocktails for Organic Systems.”
I believe in the power of collaborative learning and community engagement to inspire the next generation, build actionable knowledge, and contribute to improving agriculture and the environment. The best learning opportunities both clarify our values and give us the knowledge and skills to act on them. I enjoy learning with undergraduates, farmers, and fellow researchers in the classroom, the lab, and the field.
I draw inspiration for my research from time spent working on Hunter family farms in Minnesota and Illinois and on ranches in California and Nevada. Prior to coming to Penn State I was the Federal Policy Manager with American Farmland Trust in Washington, DC, where I worked to promote on-farm conservation in the federal Farm Bill. I received a B.A. in Government from Harvard University following two years of liberal arts study, self-governance, and student labor at Deep Springs College.
I am a PhD candidate in Agronomy at Penn State with a minor in Ecology. I am working with Dr. David Mortensen in the Weed and Applied Plant Ecology Lab. My current research focuses on using cover crops to improve cropping system productivity, sustainability, and resilience in the face of challenging climatic conditions. I am investigating how cover crops affect drought stress in the subsequent corn crop, since drought is expected to become more frequent and severe under climate change. I am also interested in how diverse cover crop "cocktails" can be used to broaden the benefits of cover cropping, including by contributing to ecological weed management. I primarily work in a field experiment titled “Finding the Right Mix: Multifunctional Cover Crop Cocktails for Organic Systems.”
I believe in the power of collaborative learning and community engagement to inspire the next generation, build actionable knowledge, and contribute to improving agriculture and the environment. The best learning opportunities both clarify our values and give us the knowledge and skills to act on them. I enjoy learning with undergraduates, farmers, and fellow researchers in the classroom, the lab, and the field.
I draw inspiration for my research from time spent working on Hunter family farms in Minnesota and Illinois and on ranches in California and Nevada. Prior to coming to Penn State I was the Federal Policy Manager with American Farmland Trust in Washington, DC, where I worked to promote on-farm conservation in the federal Farm Bill. I received a B.A. in Government from Harvard University following two years of liberal arts study, self-governance, and student labor at Deep Springs College.
Contact
Mitch Hunter
PhD Candidate, Agronomy
Minor, Ecology
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Email: mchunter@psu.edu
Work Phone: 814-865-9021
PhD Candidate, Agronomy
Minor, Ecology
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Email: mchunter@psu.edu
Work Phone: 814-865-9021
Additional photo credits:
Homepage aerial - Randy Kilmer
B/w panorama - Lou Saporito
© 2017 Mitchell C. Hunter
Homepage aerial - Randy Kilmer
B/w panorama - Lou Saporito
© 2017 Mitchell C. Hunter
