Student honored for science communication and agricultural outreach

Rachel Drobnak remembers her first day working at a cherry orchard in northern Michigan with MSU extension.

The EEB graduate student spent hours planting prairie seed, to help the farmers convert a portion of their orchard that was prone to frost damage into a prairie patch.

“My first day on the job became the motivation for my entire career,” said Drobnak, who is a member of MSU’s Soil Health and Ecosystem Ecology lab.

That’s because, while such practices can improve soil health, many farmers have been reluctant to take on an unknown financial risk.

So Drobnak set about understanding the economic costs and benefits of “prairie strips,” a conservation practice that involves planting native grasses and wildflowers on less productive areas of a farm. Eventually she developed a tool to help farmers calculate where and how prairie strips could benefit their bottom line, distributing it at farms and conferences.

Now, for these and other outreach efforts, Drobnak is being awarded MSU’s 2026 Graduate Student Award for Science Communication and Outreach.

One student is selected each year for the award, which recognizes exemplary efforts to translate and communicate scholarly research for the general public.

Drobnak is being honored for her efforts to translate conservation research into useful information for farmers and the public, at venues ranging from science cafes and festivals to field days.

Jointly sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement and The Graduate School, the award comes with a commemorative plaque and a $750 stipend. Drobnak will be honored at the 2026 Michigan State University Outreach and Engagement Awards Ceremony in March.

Congratulations Rachel!