Communicating Agriculture
Beyond Academia
Program
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About Us

Meet the Team Behind HEC

HEC brings together faculty, students, and partners from multiple universities to help graduate students become stronger and more confident science communicators.

Program Leadership

Meet Our Program Leaders

Faculty leaders from participating universities help shape the program and connect students with real-world perspectives in agricultural science and communication.

Dr. Lee Johnston
Program Leadership

Dr. Lee Johnston

Professor, University of Minnesota

Dr. Johnston is a co-lead of the HEC program and 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. Crystal Levesque
Program Leadership

Dr. Crystal Levesque

Professor, South Dakota State University

Dr. Levesque is a co-lead of the HEC program and works closely with students to help turn their research into clear, practical messages.

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 Ph.D. 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. Kasey Carlin
Program Leadership

Dr. Kasey Carlin

Associate Professor, North Dakota State University

Dr. Carlin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota.

Her work focuses on fresh meat quality and muscle growth biology, including factors influencing meat quality traits such as tenderness and shelf-life and how they develop throughout aging and storage.

She also teaches Principles of Meat Science and Meat Animal Evaluation and Marketing to students at NDSU.

Dr. Carlin earned her B.S. from NDSU in Animal Science and Biotechnology, her M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Missouri, and her Ph.D. in Meat Science from Iowa State University.

Program Team

Supporting the Student Experience

Dr. Anlly Fresno Rueda
Program Team

Dr. Anlly Fresno Rueda

Program Assistant I, University of Minnesota

Dr. Fresno helps organize and coordinate the HEC 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.

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.

Dr. Fresno is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota, with a background in animal science and microbiome research.

Alejandra Forero Salamanca
Program Team

Alejandra Forero Salamanca

Program Assistant II, South Dakota State University

After participating in HEC as a student, Alejandra returned as part of the program team, bringing her own experience full circle.

She now supports the coordination of the program and helps create a welcoming and engaging environment for new student participants.

As a current graduate student at South Dakota State University, Alejandra understands firsthand the challenges of communicating science beyond academic settings and enjoys helping others build those skills with confidence.