Plant Health and Healthy Humans with Chelsea Newbold
Chelsea Newbold is a master’s student at Oregon State University where they study the effects of fungicide resistance on the growth and development of grape powdery mildew. Chelsea is visually impaired, from a low-income background, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community giving them a unique perspective on plant science and the world of plant health. Chelsea is a passionate activist for the rights of marginalized communities and a proud union member who currently sits on the executive council of their graduate student union. Chelsea has experience in a broad range of scientific fields including high school research in the catalytic chemistry of solar panels, undergraduate research in the study of root rot pathogen detection in avocado and blueberry, and now in their position as a graduate student. They hope to continue their education through to a Phd, eventually work in agricultural extension and to empower other queer and first-generation students to pursue a career in plant pathology.