Isabel c. Delamater
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
Sustainable Plant Systems - Plant Biosciences
Marysville, OH
2023 Distinguished Senior Award Recognition Reception Program (.pdf)
2023 Distinguished Senior Award Recipient Reception Poster (.pdf)
Service at a local community garden offered Isabel Delamater some of her most enjoyable undergraduate experiences. Through a Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) course focused on service and community development, she was introduced to the Charles Madison Nabrit Memorial Garden (CNMG), whose mission is to provide fresh, affordable produce in an area of Columbus with poor food access. Isabel has continued to devote her time to volunteering at CNMG, assisting with composting projects and implementing educational technology programs.
As a Teaching Assistant for another FABE course, Appropriate Technology for Developing Countries, Isabel helped teams of students think through innovative solutions for real-world issues, culminating in the development of a prototype and sales pitch that challenged students to explain and promote their ideas with clarity and brevity. Her work as a Teaching Assistant taught her the challenges of ethical product design and the importance of closely following consumer markets. As a Research Assistant in Dr. Alex Lindsey’s lab, Isabel assisted in a PhD study examining the effects of flooding and fertilizer application on corn crops. She gained valuable insights on the research process, learning
new methods and data collection techniques. Her internship at Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens gave Isabel a taste of the hands-on side of the horticulture industry. She experienced participating in annual trials, planting and maintaining gardens, and helping showcase and analyze new cultivars. She participated in volunteer group activities such as helping with invasive plant species removal. The lessons she learned about land management and landscape design illuminated both the technical and artistic aspects of horticulture for Isabel. Gaining valuable skills, Isabel called the internship her most valuable undergraduate learning experience.
A member of several humanitarian- and sustainability-focused student organizations, Isabel serves as President of Design for 90, a club devoted to underserved Columbus communities. The club focuses on combating homelessness and food insecurity and seeks to develop products that fit the needs of community partners. She has worked closely with those partners to identify projects that will serve their own missions and oversees project teams to ensure products are finished on time.
Isabel identifies Dr. Chris Ratcliff as her mentor. She shares, “I have since volunteered with Chris at the garden and worked on many projects with him to improve the space. He has also provided me with sustainable agriculture resources and encouraged me to pursue a career in the field. Because of Chris’ influence, my current career goal is to become a professor to have a positive impact on students and my community.”
A first-generation college student, Isabel has made the Dean’s List every semester since joining her major. She will pursue a master’s degree in integrated plant and soil sciences from the University of Kentucky in the fall.
Service, involvement, and accolades: Humanitarian Engineering Scholars Program | Design for 90, president | Students for Sustainable Resilient Communities | Buck-I-SERV | Charles Madison Nabrit Memorial Garden