Potato LEAF scholarship applications open, accepted until June 14

The Potato Leadership, Education and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF) is now accepting applications for its annual graduate-level academic scholarship.

Potato LEAF will award one $10,000 scholarship to a graduate student (master’s degree or higher) working to conduct research and provide information that can improve the future of the U.S. potato industry, according to a news release.

Basic or applied research focuses may include potato production efficiency, pest management and disease issues, consumer benefits from potato consumption or advancing the competitiveness of the U.S. potato industry, according to the release.

The application deadline is June 14.

The scholarship will be awarded in August for use in the 2024-25 academic year.

Applications can be uploaded online. For more information, email info@pleaf.org.

Jacob Meeuwsen, a Ph.D. student at Washington State University, received last year’s scholarship. Meeuwsen’s research focuses on intelligent potato water-use efficiency, land-use management practices and reducing water loss via evaporation and runoff.

Meeuwsen is working to optimize predictive evapotranspiration (ET) and suggested irrigation amounts as they relate to changes in plant spatial arrangement and population and to utilize both to mitigate heat and water stress.

He plans to use information collected from his research to build a predictive evapotranspiration and irrigation app for potatoes.