The sky is the limit for NDSU student research.
Donald Veverka, a graduate student in natural resources management, is a prime example. In his research, he flies drones to capture images of eight wheat fields in western Minnesota. Using aerial images to record reflected light at different times during the growing season, he’s looking for ways to use technology to predict yield and protein content.
“This is the future of agriculture and environmental sciences, and it’s great to be part of it,” said Veverka, who earned his bachelor’s degree at NDSU in May 2019. “There hasn’t been a lot of this type of research using drones, so within the scientific community, I think it will be cool to make my impact on a fairly new topic.”
His work with drones is only one of his many research experiences at NDSU, which started when he was a sophomore. He also worked at the NDSU greenhouses, studied aquatic species and was a range technician who through North Dakota’s Badlands. “There are a lot of fantastic research opportunities for NDSU undergraduates,” said Veverka, who grew up in Wassau, Wisconsin.
“I was an out-of-state student who didn’t know anybody when I came here. But, NDSU has been great – it was very welcoming. There’s a strong sense of community here,” Veverka said. “NDSU says it is a land-grant, research university, and that’s what I got. This is a very good school.”
Start your NDSU experience.
