Sean Murphy was born and raised in Penn Yan, NY and graduated from Penn Yan Academy in 2012. He then enrolled at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) in the A.A.S. Horticulture degree program. In 2014, Sean transferred to Morrisville State College to further his horticultural education and pursue a Bachelor of Technology in Horticulture Business Management.
Sean’s past research included working alongside Cornell Summer Scholars in 2015 studying parthenocarpic squash under the supervision of Dr. Stephen Reiners and Jim Ballerstein. Subsequently, Karen Luong (now graduate student, Pennsylvania State University), has continued this research and has built up more evidence of parthenocarpy in summer squash and zucchini varieties. Sean has also assisted in research trials with the EVADE team on crops including table beets, onions, garlic, snap beans, soybeans, dry beans, potato, and more!
Sean is currently working as the lead technician in the EVADE lab. Sean has also traveled to Greece, Italy, and New Zealand and has seen opportunities to fortify relationships with other branches of agriculture and colleagues there. He hopes to collaborate with European Universities on conducting further plant research and plant pathogen interactions around the globe. Sean is also an avid ally for local LGBTQIA+ groups, supporting women in STEM and fosters collaboration at local ice cream shops!
