March 14, 2025
FFAR Fellow attends training on science policy advocacy in Washington D.C.
Submitted by Department of Entomology
Nicole Kucherov, doctoral student in entomology, is a Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, or FFAR, Fellow participating in a professional development program for Future Leaders for Food and Agriculture. She recently traveled to Washington, D.C., for training on science policy, where she met many professionals working in the intersection of science and policy across government, nonprofits and private sectors. While there, she had the opportunity to engage with legislators and discuss the importance of agricultural research and the impact her work has on addressing challenges faced by local farmers.
“I had a great experience interacting with legislators and their staffers who were very welcoming and happy to discuss how they can support agricultural research," Kucherov said. "I felt that they genuinely recognized the importance of what we do.”
Kucherov is a doctoral student in Tania Kim’s Insect Ecology lab, where they research the effects of landscape composition and weather on insect communities in agricultural fields. Kucherov’s research focuses on modeling and mapping invasive insect spread as well as creating insect pest risk maps. She also analyzes the effect of local landscape structure on insect communities to provide strategies for increasing ecosystem services by insects such as predation and pollination.