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Mekhai Abrams (left)), a DSU Ph.D. student, stands with his advisor Dr. Kalpalatha Melmaiee. Mr. Abrams is the recent recipient of the Marie Clark Taylor CGF Award in recognition of his plant science research.
In this photo: Mekhai Abrams (left)), a DSU Ph.D. student, stands with his advisor Dr. Kalpalatha Melmaiee. Mr. Abrams is the recent recipient of the Marie Clark Taylor CGF Award in recognition of his plant science research.
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DSU Ph.D. student honored for plant science research

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Mr. Mekhai Abrams, a DSU Ph.D. student in Integrative Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, has been honored with the Marie Clark Taylor CGF Award in recognition of his plant science research.

Mr. Abrams presented his wheat research on Feb. 17 at the Coalition for Grain Fiber (CGF) Conference in Kansas City, Kansas. During that conference, he also met with leading plant breeders and food scientists and participated in professional discussions on the most effective ways to maximize the health potential of wheat and other crops.Dr. Rodney Wallace (l) of the Foundation for Innovation in Healthy Food stands with Mekhai Abrams at the Kansas city conference.

With the environmental challenges the world is currently facing, Mr. Abrams said it is crucial to that solutions are developed to maintain food security.

“Because of this reason, I have a strong interest in plant physiology, stress tolerance mechanisms, and crop improvement,” said Abrams, whose research/Ph.D. advisor is Dr. Kalpalatha Melmaiee, Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture and Nature Resources. “My dissertation research will focus on the genetic improvement of strawberry for resistance to fruit rot disease, which causes yield losses globally. I hope that one day with my research I am able to play a role in ensuring the world has a sustainable food source in the future.”

The fellowship is named after Dr. Marie Clark Taylor, an educator, plant breeder, and former dean at Howard University. It honors students dedicated to applying plant science and/or food science to benefit all socioeconomic groups, helping them build a network of mentors and collaborators at R1 universities across the U.S. The award is presented by the Coalition for Grain Fiber, a program of the Foundation for Innovation in Healthy Food (FIHF).

Described by Dr. Melmaiee as “a passionate researcher,” Mekhai also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in General Agriculture from DSU in 2021 and worked as a technician.

The Coalition for Grain Fiber is a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the nutritional value of staple foods without affecting their taste, texture, or consumer price. It is simultaneously dedicated to establishing profit incentives for farmers and other food suppliers who deliver increased nutrient foods.