USDA 2018 Agricultural Outlook Forum Student Diversity Program winner

When Caitlinn Lineback began her freshman year as a pharmacy student, she says she quickly learned that was not her niche. Instead, she chose a program where she could combine her love of science with her experience in agriculture and she says, “I found my home.”

Now a junior in the Department of Food Science, she also works as an undergrad research assistant where she is currently studying issues related to bacteria in retail environments.

Based on her essay about agricultural careers and challenges, Caitlinn Lineback is a winner of the USDA 2018 Agricultural Outlook Forum Student Diversity Program.

As an AOF winner, Caitlinn will travel to Washington, D.C. where she will network and experience real-world opportunities in agribusiness, research, and agricultural policy. On Feb. 22-23, her week-long tour will conclude at the USDA’s largest annual meeting in Arlington, Virginia where she will hear current leaders share their vision for the future of agriculture.

Caitlinn is excited about her role in the future of agriculture and ways to feed a growing global population. “I like the fact that there are no defined answers. Every day is a new challenge and keeps me on my toes,” Caitlinn said.

Featured Stories

Ag Barometer
Farmer sentiment slips again as high input costs remain top concern

Farmer sentiment declined slightly in May as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer...

Read More
A man wearing a lab coat stands next to equipment in a laboratory.
Purdue agricultural engineers harness microbial activity for biofuels production

Converting aquaculture sludge with a natural microbial process into a viable renewable biofuel...

Read More
Natalie Allen
Natalie Allen - Graduate Ag Research Spotlight

Growing up in lush northern Florida, Natalie Allen spent much of her childhood outdoors, catching...

Read More
Two hands are shown holding brown compost material and one hand is shown holding green compost material.
Composting made easy

Are you curious about composting, but unsure how to do it — or if it even makes a...

Read More
A group of people holding a cell phone with the SAWBO app open.
Worth the investment: Purdue research quantifies the ROI of agricultural outreach

Measuring the impact of education is never straightforward. A farmer who learns a better grain...

Read More
Man stands in field with farm machinery.
Addressing nitrogen fertilizer uncertainties in corn production

This perennial question puzzles farmers and agricultural researchers alike: How much nitrogen...

Read More