Grace Vinarao, a doctoral candidate in the University of Wyoming's plant sciences department, became the first UW student to receive the prestigious Borlaug Scholarship from the National Association of Plant Breeders in 2025. Raised in the Philippines where her family farmed for their livelihood, Vinarao was drawn to plant breeding as a tool for improving food security and combating climate change. At UW, she studies drought resistance in field peas and the genetics of prairie junegrass. The scholarship pairs her with a mentor at the University of Arkansas and supported her attendance at the NABP annual meeting in Hawaii, where she networked with plant breeders from around the world.ResearchMaya Gilmore, University of Wyoming Extension10/09/2025 12:20:31 PM_DO NOT USE TAGS - They will be deleted!