Communicating Agriculture Beyond Academia

About Us

We are a group of faculty, students, and industry partners working together to improve how agriculture is communicated beyond academic settings. Our program focuses on helping students build practical communication skills through real interactions, discussions, and experiences that reflect the challenges they will face in their careers. We bring together people from different areas of agriculture to create a space where ideas can be shared, questioned, and explained clearly.

The program is a joint effort between the University of Minnesota, South Dakota State University, North Dakota State University, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and continues to grow through the support and involvement of industry partners.

Meet Our Program Leadership
Meet Our Program Leadership

Guiding Science Communication Forward

Our team brings expertise in agriculture, education, and science communication to support your professional growth.

Dr. Lee Johnston is a co-lead of the HEC (Communicating Agriculture Beyond Academia) program, where he brings decades of experience working directly with producers and industry. He plays a key role in connecting the program to real-world agricultural challenges and helps students learn how to communicate their science in ways that are practical, relevant, and useful beyond academia.
He is a Professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota and is based at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, MN. His work focuses on swine nutrition and management, including sow productivity, feed ingredient evaluation, and production systems. In addition to his research, he works closely with pork producers and industry professionals through applied education and outreach.
Dr. Johnston has been part of the University of Minnesota since 1988 and has built a long career in research, extension, and teaching. He earned his B.S. from Penn State, his M.S. from Texas Tech University, and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University, all in swine nutrition and management.

Dr. Lee Jonhston
Program Director,  University of Minnesota
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Dr. Crystal Levesque is a co-lead of the HEC (Communicating Agriculture Beyond Academia) program, where she mentors and works closely with students to help them turn their research into clear, practical messages for audiences beyond academia. She plays a key role in shaping the program’s direction, connecting with industry partners, and guiding students as they learn how to communicate science in ways that are relevant and impactful in real-world settings.
She is a Professor of Monogastric Nutrition at South Dakota State University, with research focused on maternal nutrition, piglet health and development, and the use of feed technologies to improve poultry performance and nutrient use.
Dr. Levesque grew up on a broiler and small grain farm in central Saskatchewan, Canada. She completed her PhD at the University of Alberta studying amino acid metabolism during pregnancy, followed by postdoctoral training at Prairie Swine Centre and the University of Guelph.

Dr. Crystal Levesque
Program Director, South Dakota State University
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Program Assistants

Anlly Fresno is part of the HEC program team, where she helps organize and coordinate the program and works closely with students throughout their experience.

She supports the development of program activities, collaborates with speakers and partners, and helps create an environment where students can build confidence in communicating their science beyond academia.
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She first participated in HEC as a student for two years and, after seeing the impact it had on her own growth, joined the organizing committee in 2022 to help expand the program and support future participants.

Anlly is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota, with a background in animal science and microbiome research.
After participating in the HEC (Communicating Agriculture Beyond Academia) program as a student, Alejandra Forero returned this year as part of the team, bringing her own experience full circle.
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She now supports the coordination of the program and helps create a welcoming and engaging environment for new student participants.
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As a current graduate student at South Dakota State University, Alejandra understands firsthand the challenges of communicating science beyond academic settings, and she enjoys helping others build those skills with confidence.
Dr. Anlly Fresno Rueda
Alejandra Forero Salamanca
Program Assistant I, University of Minnesota
Program Assistant II, South Dakota State University