“A typical day could have Leonard mowing cover crops one minute or fine-tuning an experimental bioremediation plot the next. Her job: to support the Cornell scientists seeking sustainable solutions to the common or emerging problems organic growers face — solutions that often benefit conventional growers as well.
“Leonard also provides oversight for the student-run Dilmun Hill Farm, which provides proving grounds for a range of undergraduate research projects as well as hands-on experience in managing a real-world organic farm. …
“‘Betsy’s so calm and relaxed but so responsive,’ says Elizabeth Goodwin ’12, who heads up a soil remediation project at Dilmun Hill. ‘She puts the power and the tools in our hands for the research we do. She wants us to succeed.'”