MSU/USDA Summer Research Experience
This summer marked the third year of the Summer Research Experience (SRE)
hosted by the Geosystems Research Institute (GRI) in collaboration with the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since its launch in 2022, this unique
graduate-level program has brought 22 Ph.D. and MS students from universities
across the U.S. to MSU to work alongside leading research faculty to tackle
real-world challenges facing modern agriculture.
The 2025 SRE cohort included seven graduate students from diverse academic backgrounds that included biosystems and agricultural engineering to electrical engineering and earth sciences. Together, over the nine-week period they collaborated amongst themselves and with MSU faculty to develop an interactive dashboard that uses satellite and climate data to assess the risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) to poultry farms in the Mississippi. Designed to help farmers make informed decisions, the tool maps regional exposure levels and represents the kind of practical, applied work the program aims to support.
The SRE program has served as an important bridge for graduate students,
connecting them to MSU’s top notch research resources, including access to
high-performance computing and advanced geospatial technologies. By
participating in this immersive experience, students not only gained technical
skills in tools like GIS and remote sensing but also experience MSU’s strong
culture of interdisciplinary collaboration and applied research.
Beyond their day-to-day activities, this year’s SRE cohort also explored the region through educational site visits, that included a trip to see the mighty Mississippi River from the banks Mud Island in Memphis and explore the Mississippi River Museum in Tunica. and found community through teamwork.
Together, the group not only developed professionally, but also found a collaborative space where they could combine their diverse skills and knowledge to create something more impactful than they could on their own. “We’re from different fields, different states, and different countries,” said MSU doctoral student Thainara Lima. “Being able to work together and learn from each other—that’s been the best part.”
To learn more about the Graduate Summer Research Experience, visit gri.msstate.edu.
The 2025 SRE cohort included seven graduate students from diverse academic backgrounds that included biosystems and agricultural engineering to electrical engineering and earth sciences. Together, over the nine-week period they collaborated amongst themselves and with MSU faculty to develop an interactive dashboard that uses satellite and climate data to assess the risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) to poultry farms in the Mississippi. Designed to help farmers make informed decisions, the tool maps regional exposure levels and represents the kind of practical, applied work the program aims to support.
Beyond their day-to-day activities, this year’s SRE cohort also explored the region through educational site visits, that included a trip to see the mighty Mississippi River from the banks Mud Island in Memphis and explore the Mississippi River Museum in Tunica. and found community through teamwork.
Together, the group not only developed professionally, but also found a collaborative space where they could combine their diverse skills and knowledge to create something more impactful than they could on their own. “We’re from different fields, different states, and different countries,” said MSU doctoral student Thainara Lima. “Being able to work together and learn from each other—that’s been the best part.”
To learn more about the Graduate Summer Research Experience, visit gri.msstate.edu.