Dr. Audrey Kalil obtained her Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities in 2007 and worked in the commercial inoculant industry in research and development for three years prior to entering her graduate program. Audrey obtained her Ph.D. in Plant Pathology with a minor in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied beneficial plant symbiosis with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
After completing her PhD in 2015, Audrey moved to Williston and joined North Dakota State University as the first Plant Pathologist at the Williston Research Extension Center. In this role, she led an applied research program focused on management of plant disease in durum, peas, lentils, chickpeas and sugar beet, as well as nodulation and nitrogen fixation in pulse crops. In the eight years she oversaw this program she generated $1.2 million dollars in grant dollars, authored 16 peer reviewed publications and two book chapters, and gave 54 seminars and outreach talks.
Audrey joined the Horizon Resources Cooperative Agronomy Division in 2024, where she will work directly with growers to improve crop health and oversee educational programming. Audrey continues to support the pulse industry as an Associate Director in the Northern Pulse Growers Association, Co-PI of the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center Pulse Crops Working Group and co-producer of the Growing Pulse Crops Podcast Series. Audrey lives in Williston with her husband Tom Kalil, and two children Avery (9) and Lucas (6), where she is also involved in the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce as a member of the Agriculture Committee.
Reader Comments(0)