Hoagland Lab welcomes new research technician, Brenton Smith.
Smith received an Associates in Natural Resource and Environmental Sciences from Vincennes University and Bachelors in Botany and Plant Pathology from Purdue University. While an undergrad at Purdue he worked in Dr. Chapple’s Lab in Biochem along with Dr. Jody Banks in the Ag Department. After graduation his abilities within the lab were tested at multiple locations. The main start to his career outside of school was at Lehigh Cement testing waste products to burn and power the plant. This job gave him more quality control knowledge which he was able to use while he worked as Quality Control Tech for Evonik. His work here was his stepping stone back into Academic work settings. After Evonik, he was hired on as an Associate Research Operations Specialist in Dr. Val J Watts Lab in the College of Pharmacy where he worked for almost 3 years. Here he was able to be part of a mini-review along with a couple other Publications. Starting his 2025 journey, he will be taking on the role of a research tech in Dr. Hoagland’s Lab, where he will test soils from on-farm trials in Peru, carry out compost studies in the lab and greenhouse, and contribute to scientific and extension articles.