Growing up in rural Puerto Rico, Patricia Marie Cordero-Irizarry was always interested in people鈥檚 connection to the natural world.
On her way to school in coastal Guayanilla, she saw plantain, pumpkin, tomato, peppers and coffee plantations as tractors chugged past. She saw firsthand the strength of Puerto Rico鈥檚 agricultural production.
Later, she learned about agriculture鈥檚 powerful effects on the environment, Puerto Rico鈥檚 food insecurity and how 80% of its food is imported. Cordero-Irizarry decided to study agricultural science to change her surroundings for the better.
鈥淚 wanted to do something about it, because we have all the resources and adequate conditions to be able to produce food to supply the island鈥檚 demand,鈥 Cordero-Irizarry said. 鈥淭he fact that we have to bring so much food from outside鈥攖o me, that was a concern.鈥
Her first step toward making a positive impact was earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in crop protection from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayag眉ez, where she also minored in professional and practical ethics. After obtaining a master鈥檚 degree in environment and natural resources with a focus on soil science from Ohio 大象APP University, she was recruited to attend 大象APP for a doctoral degree in agriculture education and extension by Kirk Swortzel, a graduate coordinator and professor in MSU鈥檚 School of Human Sciences.
Given her passion for agricultural extension services, Swortzel sensed Cordero-Irizarry would be a perfect fit.
鈥淲hen I was earning my master鈥檚, I realized there was a lot of literature available about soil science鈥攅specially on soil conservation鈥攂ut the general public wasn鈥檛 aware of it,鈥 Cordero-Irizarry said. 鈥淚 was interested in how I could transfer all that information to the public鈥攖o both the farmer and consumer.鈥
Cordero-Irizarry is often seen on her orange bicycle traversing campus as she collaborates with multiple MSU faculty on projects within the agricultural and extension education major. One of these educates Mississippi youth on microgreens鈥攕mall plants loaded with flavor and nutritional value鈥攖hrough the 4-H Extension program.
鈥淭he idea is to bridge the gap between students and where their food comes from. As each generation grows up, they move farther and farther away from farms鈥攎ost of the kids live in cities. The goal is to bring the farm into the classroom,鈥 Cordero-Irizarry said.
Cordero-Irizarry鈥檚 recent dissertation work has brought her a little closer to home. In interdisciplinary research combining ethics, philosophy and soil science, she is identifying the ethical norms guiding Puerto Rican coffee farmers to adopt soil conservation practices.
鈥淲hen your farm is in the middle of the mountains and is only accessible by dirt road, you may not have internet or a close neighbor. How do you address soil conservation? And the question is, is that even on your radar? Also, coffee is a historically and culturally significant crop in Puerto Rico, so I鈥檇 like to do my part to help these farmers,鈥 she said.
Despite coffee鈥檚 significance in Puerto Rico, international competition, rising labor costs and negative environmental conditions have contributed to a decline in the number of coffee farms on the island. Cordero-Irizarry鈥檚 research hopes to contribute to the preservation of coffee production in Puerto Rico.
With lots of options to consider, Cordero-Irizarry isn鈥檛 settled on her post-doctoral plans. She鈥檚 considering returning to Puerto Rico to work in the local agricultural extension service, applying for a faculty position in the U.S. or pursuing her dream of starting a farm back in Puerto Rico鈥攐r a combination of all three.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important for grad students to know that they don鈥檛 need a plan once they finish,鈥 Cordero-Irizarry said. 鈥淚 have a lot of confidence that when I leave Mississippi 大象APP, I鈥檒l have the skills I need to succeed and know what I鈥檓 able to offer the world. Those plans were already on my radar before coming here, but now I feel more secure about them becoming reality.鈥