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AgriCurious Podcast

AgriCurious Podcast

by The LammLab

Season 2

Far From Home: Graduate School in the U.S

What is it really like to leave home and pursue graduate studies in the United States? In this episode of AgriCurious, Dennis Baffour-Awuah sits with four international graduate students to explore the realities of studying abroad. Joining the conversation are Emilia Astorga Roine from Chile and Adedamola Sanuade from Nigeria, both at Oregon State University; Danial Nayeri from Iran at Texas A&M University; and Katherine Pivaral from Guatemala at Purdue University. Together, they discuss cultural adjustments, academic life, building community, navigating challenges, and the lessons they've learned along the way. They also share practical advice and honest insights for prospective international students navigating similar journeys. If you've ever wondered what life as an international student is truly like or are considering the journey yourself, this episode is for you. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

Research, Road Trips, and the Lamm Lab

Join Lamm Lab members Dennis Baffour-Awuah, Gracie Grimes, and Michael Batame as they reflect on their journey from Billings, Montana, where they attended the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) Conference, to Corvallis, Oregon, for the International Association for Society and Natural Resources (IASNR) Conference. In this episode of the Agricurious Podcast, they share the research they presented at ACE, preview the projects they were preparing to present at IASNR, and discuss what it was like traveling between conferences while exploring new places along the way. They also reflect on their experiences in Billings, visits to Yellowstone National Park and Historic Nye Beach in Newport, Oregon, and the conversations, adventures, and memorable moments that made the trip more than just a conference journey. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

Why Agriculture Is not One-Size-Fits-All

In this episode of AgriCurious, we sit down with Dr. Jennifer Jo Thompson, an anthropologist and faculty member in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at the University of Georgia, to explore the complex human side of agriculture and food systems. Using cover cropping as a key example, the conversation looks at farmer decision-making, risk perception, sustainability, and communication strategies. Dr. Thompson explains why agricultural outreach is never one-size-fits-all and shares how trust, lived experiences, and social realities shape the way farmers respond to agricultural information, technologies, and change. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

Beyond the Meat Plate

In this episode, Dennis sits down with Dr. KatieRose McCullough, President and Chief Scientist of the Meat Foundation and Director of Science and Public Health at the Meat Institute, for a conversation on meat science, food safety, public health, and the future of the meat industry. Dr. McCullough shares insights into the biggest challenges facing the industry today, how trust is built through science communication, and the innovations that could transform meat production in the coming years. The episode also offers valuable advice for students and early-career researchers interested in agriculture, food systems, and public health. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

The Hidden Economics of Food Access

In this episode, Dennis sits down with Dr. Craig Gundersen, the Snee Family Endowed Chair and Professor of Economics at Baylor University. They discuss the role of agricultural economics in shaping the food system, the economic forces behind food insecurity, and the broader impacts of food access on health and society. The conversation also explores Dr. Gundersen’s work on Map the Meal Gap with Feeding America and what it reveals about food insecurity across the United States. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

Is Precision Agriculture All We Think It Is?

In this episode of AgriCurious, Dennis speaks with Dr. Chin-Ling Lee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication at the University of Georgia, about precision agriculture and what truly drives its adoption. They discuss how precision tools influence farmer decision-making, the social and psychological factors shaping adoption, and what makes an approach integrative rather than simply technology-driven. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

Grad School Real Talk at SAAS 2026

On this episode of AgriCurious, Dennis sat with fellow graduate students during the 2026 Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS) Conferences in Louisville, Kentucky, to reflect on their conference experiences and journeys through graduate school. Featuring Mikayla Hargis (Kansas State University), Ruwini Bandara (North Carolina State University), and Oluwadamilare Oloyede (Mississippi State University), the conversation shares honest insights into research, networking, and life as emerging agricultural scholars. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

What Systems Thinking Reveals About Cause and Effect

What usually goes wrong when we try to solve complex problems using simple cause-and-effect thinking? How do we feel when that approach doesn’t lead to one clear “right” answer? In this episode, Dennis sits down with Dr. Kevan Lamm, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication at the University of Georgia and an Extension leadership specialist, to explore what systems thinking reveals about cause and effect. They also discuss how the STEPS project uses hypothetical case scenarios as reusable learning objects to strengthen students’ thinking about food systems and everyday life. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

Season 1

Rethinking Peat and the Future of Soilless Substrates

Peat has been the backbone of soilless plant production for decades, but growing environmental concerns and tightening supply are forcing the industry to rethink what comes next. In this episode of the AgriCurious Podcast, Dennis sits down with Dr. Jeb Fields and Dr. James Altland to discuss the Soilless Substrate Project, peat alternatives, stratified substrates, and what growers can realistically do to prepare for a peat-limited future. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

Upcycled Food Explained

Can food waste be part of the solution rather than the problem? In this episode of AgriCurious, Dennis speaks with Dr. Peng Lu, Assistant Professor in the Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication Department at the University of Georgia, about upcycled food and the science behind it. Dr. Lu studies how consumers respond to food innovations and how communication shapes acceptance. Their conversation moves through definitions, real-world examples, public misconceptions, and current research, offering insight into how upcycled food fits into broader efforts to build more sustainable and circular food systems. After listening, please take 10 seconds to share your feedback at bit.ly/agricurious.

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