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David Byrnes

Graduate Student
Department of Plant Biology

David ByrnesDavid Byrnes graduated with his PhD in 2018 from the Plant Biology department of Rutgers University in the Plant Breeding and Genomics track. Byrnes focused on crop improvement of widely consumed, yet under-developed crops. By selecting for a complement of improved economic performance with stable, high-source micronutrient content, Byrnes intended to facilitate the adoption of these crops as a cost-effective solution to globally pervasive micronutrient deficiencies.

Byrnes has four years of experience contributing to projects in East and Southern Africa using agriculture as a tool for economic growth and improvement of nutritional status for smallholder farmers. Byrnes was named a Kirchner Food Fellow in 2015-2016, a Borlaug Fellow in Global Food Security in 2013-2014, has authored AgriSETA registered training materials for farmers in Zambia, and has assisted in the planning and installation of low-cost technologies from solar driers to drip irrigation kits for community farms.