Ph.D., Associate Professor
mrr232@cornell.edu
Education
Doctorate, The Pennsylvania State University, 2010.
Master of Science, The Pennsylvania State University, 2007.
Bachelor of Science, Kutztown University, 2001.
Research Interests/Current Research
My research program aims to increase cropping sustainability by harnessing ecological phenomena and offsetting off-farm inputs with biological processes. Much of my research is field based and conducted at the Musgrave Research Farm and collaborating farms, but I also work across scales and disciplines to develop innovative management strategies, quantify cropping system performance, and advance agroecological theory. I am currently focused on expanding the role of cover crops by overcoming obstacles that limit their adoption and identifying management strategies that maximize their benefits. I am also interested in diversifying crop rotations, exploring the impacts of conservation agriculture on soil health and drought tolerance, and developing perennial grain-based cropping systems.