Vang Yang, Plant Science Student Spotlight

 

Q: Why did you choose to attend Fresno State, and how did you pick your major?

“One of the many deciding factors why I chose to attend Fresno State was to stay close to family. Another was a financial matter, and it was more affordable to live with my family. I decided on my major partly because of the numerous opportunities provided by the Fresno Unified School District. The high school I attended, Sunnyside High, provided a career pathway that tailored students to potential careers in the workforce.” 

 

Q: What do you consider your hometown and /or where are you a native of?

“I was born in Thailand, in a Hmong refugee camp. My family came to the U.S. in 2004 when I was four years old, and I grew up in Fresno.”  

 

Q: Did you have any other family members graduate or attend Fresno State?

“My sister, Xai, graduated in 2024 with a degree in human resources, and my other sister, Mary, is a second-year student majoring in biochemistry.”    

Q: Which classes and faculty members have had the biggest influence on you while at Fresno State and why?

“The classes that had the biggest impact on me was Entomology, taught by Dr. Jacob Wenger, and Mycology, taught by Dr. Margaret Ellis. I felt that foraging and collecting specimens and then learning about them in class and lab to be the most fun and an engaging way to approach the course. The faculty member that had the biggest influence was Dr. Avery Culbertson. When I was in high school, I was introduced to agricultural sciences by the USDA AgDiscovery Summer Camp program in Fresno State that was run by Dr. Culbertson.”  

 

Q: Have you been involved with research on campus, and how will it benefit your career path?

“I have been involved in a couple of researches on campus and with the UC Davis research extension at Parlier. They all were a great experience in learning about agriculture pathogens and optimizing fertilizer applications in farmland.” 

“One of the research on campus was on foodborne pathogens in garlic and onions. It was a collaboration between Colorado State University and Fresno State Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. The main issue it was addressing was where foodborne pathogens, like salmonella and E. coli, are likely to spread during the different stages of food harvesting and processing. I was involved in collecting swab samples of  potential areas of foodborne pathogens contamination surfaces. These samples are then swabbed into countless petri dishes to see if there are any signs of foodborne pathogens.” 

“These experiences and others at the Jordan College of Agriculture and Technology have provided me with important biotechnology knowledge and skills.”

 

Q: What was your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

“When my family immigrated to the US, the main source of income was fieldwork in a small community of Hmong farmers. My parents picked cherry tomatoes and eggplants.” 

 

Q: What clubs/organizations at Fresno State have you been a part of?

“I was part of Fresno State College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). The program helped me to adjust to college life and be prepared for internships opportunities.” 

 

Q: Have you received any scholarships related to campus or the Jordan College ?  

“I have had the fortune of receiving the Ag One Richard Peters Grant and Harry Kubo Grant scholarships.” 

 

Q: Are there any other interesting notes about yourself that you would like to include?

“I was in a 10-week internship called Plant Genomics at Michigan State University Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program by the Nation Foundation of Sciences. The internship provided me with graduate school experience directly from graduate students who were working on the Ph.D, and I learned about the process of applying for graduate school.  The research focused on developing novel terpenes compounds using plant and bacterial proteins. These terpenes have many  uses in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

“Traveling out of California was a little difficult initially being away from home. Once I adjusted, it was sad when the internship was over, but I was happy to see my family again.”