Student’s research improves nutrition and food safety

More than 1,500 miles separate Purdue University and Enrique Velasco’s Honduras-based alma mater, Zamorano. Despite the distance, Velasco formed a new connection to Zamorano when he began his research in West Lafayette. Velasco studied agribusiness management in Honduras and sought a horticulture internship to balance his studies. There, he learned about research done by Purdue associate professor of horticulture and agricultural economics Arianna Torres, who also studied at Zamorano.

“I asked my internship mentor if I could apply to Purdue to see if there was a chance to work with Dr. Torres. She was looking for an intern, so everything aligned for me,” Velasco recalled.

Velasco completed his internship and returned home in 2019. Velasco earned his bachelor’s degree and returned to Purdue in 2020 to work toward a master’s degree under Torres’s guidance.

“Grad school has a big learning curve,” said Velasco. “Dr. Torres has helped push me into being a better researcher.”

Velasco’s studies focused on consumer perceptions of food safety, specifically fresh vegetables. To understand consumer preferences, he clustered variables related to nutrition, environment, food labeling and government regulations and procedures. After studying consumer behavior and qualitative methods, he developed a national survey.

“I like to think my research helps to achieve food security by improving nutrition and having safe food for everyone.”

Velasco also said combining horticulture, agricultural economics and his agribusiness background have strengthened his communication abilities. He wrote three Extension articles for the landscape industry based on his internship work on plant regulators.

“Extension has been the best way for me to learn how to jump from academia to the real world – to translate what we have done to something reachable for farmers and consumers,” Velasco explained.

Velasco is yet to solidify his future plans but will explore Ph.D. programs and opportunities in industry.

Featured Stories

From the home turf to the "Friendly Confines"

Kiermaier now stands on that same field in official Cubs gear. It's a regular Tuesday in the...

Cultivating the Future: Izaak Gilchrist

The spider hanging upside down from the corner of your room and the silverfish that crawled out...

FNR Names Dave Case as 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources is proud to name Dave Case as its 2023 FNR Lifetime...

Student draws welcomed attention to Agronomy department through social media

Ruby Slentz was featured in a Purdue Agronomy promotional video released this month, gaining very...

Maya Fulton stands against the Continuum sculptures outside of Lynn Hall.

How an entomology student made her veterinary school dreams a reality

As a first-year student in the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine, Fulton has quickly become...

Student Matthew Haan stands with another person in front of mountains in the Philippines

Horticultural and Landscape Architecture student discusses summer research and training in the Philippines

With limited international travel experience and a student’s budget, Matthew Haan was...