The orchards of the Central Valley serve as Katherine Pope’s part-time office. The rest of the time, the doctoral candidate in the Horticulture and Agronomy Graduate Group can be found on campus analyzing data on how cold temperatures during the winter and warm temperatures in the spring affect tree crops during different stages of the year.

“I assist farmers in managing their orchard by helping them better understand how climate change will impact tree crops like almonds, pistachios, and walnuts in California,” said Pope. “An orchard is a long-term investment. Due to global warming, tree crop growers especially need to be planning for a warmer future to ensure sustainability of both their individual farms and of the industry as a whole in California.”

UC Davis is one of the top institutions for studying tree crops that grow in Mediterranean climates. “Here, I have access to resources that for many researchers are unimaginable,” says Pope. “It also makes me part of a tradition of scientists and farmers working together to feed the planet while respecting the environment.”

Pope’s ability to research these issues has stemmed from the support of various fellowships. The Ethel O. Gardner Scholarship, Beatrice Oberly and S. Atwood McKeehan Fellowship in Horticulture and Agronomy, and the Department of Plant Sciences Graduate Student Research appointment have all helped her focus more on her research. She also notes that the support received affords her more freedom when choosing a career path. "Being able to choose which job will be more rewarding, rather than which job would pay off student debt, is life altering," says Pope.

In the near future, Pope would like to stay in the agriculture industry, researching new ways on improving tree crops and relaying that information to local farmers. She’s entertaining the idea of either going into private agricultural consulting, working in the UC Cooperative Extension system, or running her own orchard.

In her spare time, Pope enjoys spending time outside, whether it’s tending to her vegetable garden, playing at the dog park with her pup, swimming in the pool, or exploring the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Photo credit: Michael Peterson.