Gary Lamie Scholarship winners paving the way in corn research 

By Lilly Pryor 

The Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) awarded two Purdue University Graduate Students with the Purdue College of Agriculture’s Graduate Student Corn Research Assistantship for 2025. This $25,000 award supports outstanding students interested in developing the field of agriculture, with a focus on corn-related research. 

Eligible research areas can include anything from genetics, breeding, production technology, processing and marketing. The scholarship was created in 2014, in memory of the late Gary Lamie, a former ICMC board member and president. The scholarship is awarded to two students who exemplify dedication and a dream of innovation in the future of corn production. 

Anywhere from 4-15 applications are received each year – making it a competitive award. 

This year’s recipients, Ankita Poudel and Victory Somtochukwu Igwe, are exploring new areas of corn production. Poudel’s research focuses on fertilizer treatments’ effect on yield, while Igwe is investigating corn digestibility and nutrition. Both projects are focused on contributing valuable insights to the agricultural community. 

Poudel explores organic fertilizer innovation 

For Ankita Poudel, agronomy isn’t just a field of study. It’s a passion rooted in years of research and discovery. Originally from Nepal, Poudel earned her bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Nepal’s Purbanchal University. While at Purbanchal University, she published five research papers. 

Her interest in agronomy grew under guidance of her undergraduate advisor, whose work on fertilizers sparked her own curiosity in sustainable crop production. She is now in her first year of her master’s program at Purdue University. 

Poudel’s research is aimed at evaluating the effect of micro carbon fertilizer (MCF), an organic fertilizer derived from brown coal, on crop productivity. She is comparing her results to the effects of inorganic NPK fertilizer. She spends much of her time in the lab evaluating plant tissues, soil and seed samples to assess their mineral content. 

Her study involves six different treatment combinations of NPK and MCF. Unlike similar research conducted in 2023, her current trials have shown significant differences in the crop yield. She was excited that her findings provided a promising outlook on the use of organic fertilizers. 

Through her research, Poudel hopes to support sustainable farming practices that benefit the environment and farmer profitability. 

“My aim of this research is to guide the farmers with a new recommendation for those of the organic fertilizer, so that they can find an effective alternative that is both economically friendly, as well as environmentally and ecofriendly as well,” Poudel said. 

Looking into the future, she would like to pursue her Ph.D. and find a way to connect fertilizers with molecular aspects of the crops. “This scholarship is more than financial support,” she said. “It motivates me to make meaningful contributions for both the environment and for farmers.” 

Corn fiber for public health 

Victory Somtochuku Igwe, is a third-year Ph.D. student in Purdue’s Food Science Department with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in food science from Federal University of Technology Owerri. 

In the past he has worked with corn and cereal crops. He is currently working in Purdue’s Propel Lab (Processing and Product Engineering Lab). His research is focused on enhancing the gut fermentability of dietary corn fiber from corn bran. Bran is the outside of the corn kernel and is typically an underutilized by-product. Through his research, Igwe is looking to see how the combination of radio frequency technology and enzymatic hydrolysis can break down the dense and insoluble fibers in corn bran. The main fibers he is looking into are hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. 

These treatments increase porosity and hydration properties that allow beneficial gut microbes to ferment the fiber and increase the production of short chain fatty acids. He emphasized that this combination was ecofriendly, cost efficient and decreased chemical use. 

“More than 95 percent of the U.S. population does not get their recommended daily fiber intake,” Igwe explained. “If we can use these modified fibers in snack bars, baked goods and cereals, we can close that fiber gap and improve public health.” 

His fascination for the food industry started many years ago. “I’ve always been drawn to how food moves from farm to table,” Igwe said. “Back home, I’d watch my grandparents process foods in traditional ways, and I became curious about what happens between harvest and the food we eat.” 

That curiosity quickly turned into a passion to make food more functional and beneficial for the body. 

Igwe hopes that this project will not only benefit consumers, but also the corn industry. This research will bring new value to a material often seen as agricultural waste. 

Igwe hopes to continue cultivating the future of science and food innovation. He is committed to using food science to make diets healthier and nutrition more accessible. 

Cultivating future corn innovators 

This scholarship is used to inspire graduate students to think critically about how they can make a difference in the corn industry. More than a monetary award, this scholarship provides students with opportunities to expand their research, travel to conferences to present their findings, and build a strong foundation of what their future could look like in agriculture. 

Many recipients are selected for other leadership awards that further their ability to complete research. Past recipients have gone on to further their education, become professors at agricultural universities, or contribute to leading research companies while continuing to pave the path forward in corn innovation. 

“The funding comes from checkoff dollars, and that investment helps students not only advance their research but grow professionally,” said Dr. Linda Lee, Assistant Dean for Graduate Education, Research, and Faculty Development. “It strengthens the long-term relationship between ICMC and Purdue and allows our students to stay connected to the agricultural industry.” 

The Gary Lamie Scholarship plays a vital role in the innovations of modern agriculture and corn research. Ankita and Victory are breaking down barriers of agricultural science to make meaningful contributions in the industry. As they continue their research, Ankita and Victory are eager to share their findings for the benefit of the corn industry. Through ICMC support and a passion for agriculture advancement, they are working to create opportunities for Indiana farmers.