Graduate student featured in student research video

Lana Bolin carries a clipboard and pen as she walks through browning, mature corn plants in the greenhouse.
Lana Bolin walks through mature corn plants in greenhouse. Photo clipped from video by Indiana University Research

Ph.D. candidate Lana Bolin is part of a team studying how farmers' decisions affect the microbes in their soils and what that means for plant resilience to drought.

The researchers received a five-year, $1.4 million award from the National Science Foundation in 2020 to investigate the connection between farmers, soil microbes, and drought resilience. The findings could help identify efficient practices for farmers to use to adapt to a warmer, drier climate. Jen Lau, an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biology at IU Bloomington and a researcher with the IU Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI), is leading the study along with colleagues from IU and Michigan State. Bolin is a member of Lau's lab.

Indiana University Research selected Bolin to feature in its recent video highlighting student research.

Video by Indiana University Research

Learn more about the project in the 2020 ERI news release: ERI researchers awarded $1.4 million to study connection between farmers, soil microbes, and drought resilience.