As a graduate and doctoral student at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ’ Department of Horticultural Science , Alicain Carlson spent much of her sentence researching ways to keep cut flowers fresher , long . Now , as a technical trial manager for Syngenta Flowers , she ’s applying those same techniques and theories to improve the vibrancy of bedding plant .
Carlson garner her undergraduate degree in biology from Virginia Tech , where she also minored in horticulture .
“ Going through my biological science program , I find myself pass more time in the horticulture department . I was a commandment assistant for the flowered design grade and just get laid it , ” Carlson said .
After finish her first vase - life subject with one of her professors , Carlson discovered that there was a science behind keep trim flower fresh . That summertime , she interned at a reduce - flower farm near her parents ’ dwelling house in Virginia . She ended up working there for a duet of summers before calibrate . It was on that farm where she memorize about CALS .
“ The flower Fannie Farmer I play with was a penis of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers ( ASCFG ) . She state me I needed to be a fellow member and that I involve to connect with NC State professor John Dole , who was doing cut - flower research . ”
And she did . Carlson said Dole ’s research was what she was concerned in and was beaming that he could take over her as a student .
“ Both my master key ’s and PhD research was related to bring down - bloom production and post - harvest , assess potential new deletion flowers to see if they would be suitable to the industry as well as some general floriculture production . I also co - taught Greenhouse Management for a couple years with Dr. Dole and was a TA for Floriculture Production with Dr. Bill Fonteno . ”
During her Ph.D. , Carlson started to focus more on the molecular panorama of mown flowers after harvesting . “ We were looking at how the bacteria in the vase answer interacts with the peak and trying to notice a potential probiotic bacterium that could be used in commercial-grade vase solutions to meliorate vase life as an organic option . We also investigated the potential genetic components that influence bent neck opening and petal blueing in cut roses . Essentially , why do the head of the flush droop and why do the petal work blue as they maturate ? ”
Carlson fill out her PhD in 2014 but was n’t quite ready to leave . She did a one - year postdoc with Dole and start out to opine about her hereafter .
“ I was really looking for module positions mainly because I did n’t know what else was out there in industriousness for someone like me , ” Carlson articulate . But then she landed a occupation with Syngenta Flowers as a technical scientist in June 2015 .
Carlson describes Syngenta Flowers as a global flush breed company , produce and sell seeds and cuttings of yearly and perennial bloom to greenhouse raiser across the world . Those flowers are the ones you end up buying at big box stores like Lowe ’s and Home Depot and your local independent garden centers .
“ My current role with Syngenta Flowers is heavy focused on enquiry with bedding plants , yearbook and perennial , not really reduce blossom . However the proficiency , knowledge and theories I learned at NC State whole apply to what I transition to do with Syngenta , ” Carlson said . “ What I had con at NC State was the key to my succeeder in start this position . ”
After a duo of year , Carlson was promoted to technical run manager , and now she has a team of horticultural scientist doing applied floriculture enquiry to help Syngenta Flowers ’ customer be more successful .
Recently , Carlson has been able to connect back with her roots in cut flush as Syngenta Flowers has become more concerned in capture this growing segment of the diligence . “ This next yr , we ’re work on relaunching our Syngenta Flowers trim down - flush assortment , and I am the business steer for that opening , which is pretty exciting . ”
Carlson said she would n’t be where she is today without NC State and CALS .
“ Meeting John and connecting with the ASCFG fall a passion in me . This is my place . It ’s challenging ; I ’m honest at it ; I savor it . There ’s always something raw to find out , because there ’s always some fresh flower out there to appear at and learn what take in it flower . How is it well raise ? It keep me jazzed every day . I found my vocation . Floriculture is where I ’m speculate to be . ”
Source : NC State University ( Kristin Sargent )
