b'Grant BillingsNorth Carolina State UniversityBillings, a Ph.D. student in plant breeding, is driving innovation in cotton breeding through genomic selection. He has spearheaded efforts to integrate genomic selection across public cotton breeding programs, securing multiple NIFA grants and establishing a new genotyping platform. His work includes developing a pangenome for foundational materials, conducting genome-wide association studies on historical cotton germplasm, and identifying trait-associated markers to advance breeding strategies.A 2022 NAPB Borlaug Scholar, Billings has earned recognition for his presentations at the Cotton Beltwide Meetings and NCSU Research Symposium. He has also served as president of the NCSU Plant Breeding Club, organizing two Plant Breeding Symposiums with industry sponsorship. His leadership and research excellence position him as a standout in the field of plant breeding.Adarsha DevihalliNorth Carolina State UniversityDevihalli, a Ph.D. student, is advancing forest health through groundbreaking research on Phytophthora root rot in Fraser fir. Pursuing a dual major in forestry and genetics with a 3.93 GPA, he has achieved milestones like sequencing the pathogens genomean industry first in North Americaand generating key transcriptomics data for fir species.He combines molecular biology, microscopy, and genomics to addressAnup DhakalUniversity of Illinoiscomplex biological interactions, withDhakal, a Ph.D. student in Crop results expected to yield multiple first- Sciences at the University of Illinois, is author publications. A skilled educator, herevolutionizing oat breeding. He began assists in teaching forest health courseshis journey in 2021 as a masters student, and leads outreach efforts with the Northearning a 4.0 GPA and publishing Carolina Christmas Tree Association andhis groundbreaking research in The high school programs. Devihallkis dedica- Plant Genome. His work developed tion and innovative research make hima custom grain imaging platform to a standout in plant genetics and forestextract morphological features for health. genomic selection models, transforming evaluations of oat milling quality. Dhakal focuses on improving beta-glucan content in oats, a soluble fiber rec-ognized by the FDA for its cardiovascular benefits. His research employs genom-ics, phenomics, and statistical modeling to uncover genetic responses to heat stress and develop oat varieties resilient to global warming. Dhakals innovative approach promises a significant impact on the oat community.JANUARY 2025SEEDWORLD.COM /27'