Last Updated on September 19, 2024 by Stella Canfield
2024 National Postdoc Appreciation Week is Sept. 16 – 20, and the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) is proud to celebrate its postdoctoral researchers. This spotlight series will showcase some of our postdoctoral researchers, including their contributions and the role they play in advancing research at MREC.
Postdoctoral Researcher Shea Keene
Meet Shea Keene, a postdoctoral researcher at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC). After earning her doctorate in environmental horticulture from the University of Florida in December 2022, Keene joined MREC for a two-year study on controlled-release fertilizer for field-grown hemp, led by Brian Pearson and funded by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Her passion for plants, which was sparked by gardening with her grandmother, led her to pivot from pre-med to horticulture during her graduate studies. Now at MREC, Keene manages a multi-site project aimed at developing best practices for hemp cultivation in Florida.
Hometown: Lakeland, FL
Faculty Adviser: Associate Professor Chris Marble (formerly Brian Pearson)
Q. What research projects are you currently working on at MREC? Could you give us an overview of your work?
A. I’m evaluating different rates of controlled-release fertilizer for field-grown hemp. This project is being conducted at three sites in Florida: Apopka (MREC, primary location), Citra (Plant Science Research and Education Unit), and Homestead (Tropical Research and Education Center).
In Florida, the window to grow hemp outdoors is quite narrow because its flowering is controlled by day length. Our longest days occur over the summer, which also coincides with the heaviest rainfall. Fertilizer runoff and nutrient leaching are issues with conventional fertilizers that pose significant risks to water quality. These risks may be mitigated by using controlled-release fertilizer (CRF).
CRF has a slow-release profile, breaking down slowly and releasing nutrients over time. However, no studies have been conducted in Florida to assess the impact of CRF on nutrient availability, nutrient uptake and utilization, plant growth and biomass production, and flower yield and cannabinoid synthesis of hemp. This research aims to fill that gap, and the goal is to establish best management practices for Florida farmers using CRF on field-grown hemp.
Q. How has your experience at MREC helped you grow as a researcher? Are there specific mentors or collaborators who have influenced your work?
A. I have gained tremendous experience in project management during my time at MREC, overseeing essentially all aspects of this multi-site, multi-year study. Many challenges have arisen, including changes in the principal investigator (PI) and a co-PI, relocation of our northern study location, and breaking my foot and spraining my ankle in March – but I have persisted through them all and learned much along the way.
I draw influence from many sources. Educators like Michael Kane, Rebecca Darnell and Esteban Rios; committee members such as Brian Pearson, Charlie Guy and Gilles Basset; and collaborators Mengzi Zhang, Annabella Lyndon, Gilles Bassett and Katherine Thompson-Witrick.
Q. Looking ahead, what are your future career goals? How has your time at MREC prepared you for the next steps in your career?
A. I’m casting a wide net as I search for jobs – whether in academia, industry, gardens, or beyond. I’m not sure where I will land yet, only that it will be somewhere in Florida. I’ve gained valuable experience in project management and personnel management at MREC, especially in navigating challenging, changing situations.
Q. What do you love the most about MREC?
A. I love seeing gopher tortoises almost every day. They bring me genuine joy, and I am grateful that, at least for now, they have an oasis in the ever-expanding development of this area.
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