Full Name
Subash Thapa
Job Title
Graduate Research Assistant
Company
South Dakota State University
Speaker Bio
Subash Thapa is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science at South Dakota State University (anticipated graduation: end of 2026). His research integrates plant breeding, genomics, and artificial intelligence to improve disease resistance in winter wheat, with a focus on AI-based phenotyping for Fusarium head blight and genomic approaches to fungal and bacterial disease resistance.
In summer 2026, Subash will intern with Corteva Agriscience in Johnston, IA, as part of the Global Seed Operations Quality Innovation program. He is excited to connect his academic work in high-throughput phenotyping and data-driven breeding with industry-scale seed quality and operations.
Subash was drawn to the seed industry by his background in agricultural communities in Nepal, where he witnessed the direct impact that improved varieties and quality seed can have on farmers’ livelihoods. This drives his goal of using modern breeding tools to develop resilient crop varieties that reach the people who need them most. In his free time, he enjoys driving, hiking, and staying current with innovations in agricultural technology.
In summer 2026, Subash will intern with Corteva Agriscience in Johnston, IA, as part of the Global Seed Operations Quality Innovation program. He is excited to connect his academic work in high-throughput phenotyping and data-driven breeding with industry-scale seed quality and operations.
Subash was drawn to the seed industry by his background in agricultural communities in Nepal, where he witnessed the direct impact that improved varieties and quality seed can have on farmers’ livelihoods. This drives his goal of using modern breeding tools to develop resilient crop varieties that reach the people who need them most. In his free time, he enjoys driving, hiking, and staying current with innovations in agricultural technology.
