During the past two years, Caryn Dawson has worn various hats—as an Iowa State University student, as a global researcher on study abroad missions, and as a productive intern at CAST. Starting this month, she will add another valuable experience to her list; she will join the Bayer Crop Science team in Iowa as a research seed technician. As Caryn said, “I want to make an impact at every place I work, and I am looking forward to doing that with Bayer.”

Caryn has been focused on agriculture and horticulture studies at ISU, but during that time, her passport has had plenty of use. From Argentina to Italy, she has joined study abroad research teams, and if the pandemic had not interfered, she would have been in Austria and India this summer with another group of agricultural scientists. She is disappointed but notes, “When things are out of your control, you have to improvise and make do with what you have, and it may just work out even better.”

It has worked out well for CAST to have Caryn helping with financial paperwork, event planning, and some social media messaging. She has also contributed blog material about her global research experiences. She points out that CAST has been helpful for her to learn professional skills and make agriculture connections. “I have had the privilege to get to know many wonderful people, and the office environment has a family ambience to it. Everyone cares, helps out, and shows the value of teamwork.” 

Caryn will return to ISU in the fall for her senior year, and she plans to continue working globally “with farmers in their fields.” She also is aiming to attend a graduate school program at an international institution. During the past week, Caryn was notified that she won a $4,000 scholarship from the National Gardens Club, a recognition of achievement awarded to only 43 students throughout the country. No matter which of her many hats Caryn is wearing, she sets high goals and comes up with quality results.