Dr. Tony Vyn
Professor of Agronomy, Henry A. Wallace Chair in Crop Sciences
Dr. Tony J. Vyn is a Professor and Cropping Systems Extension Agronomist in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University. Tony grew up on a hog and cash crop farm near Chatham in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. He earned his degrees from the University of Guelph, (in Guelph, Ontario) and was a faculty member in the Crop Science Department at the same university from 1987 until he left for Purdue University in 1998. Dr. Vyn advises several graduate students in research focused on understanding the interactions of tillage, crop rotation, plant density, and (or) nutrient placement systems with crop response and soil properties. His current investigations include corn hybrid and plant density comparisons at multiple N rates, tillage comparisons (like no-till and vertical tillage versus strip tillage), RTK automatic guidance for strip tillage and nutrient banding, plant-to-plant variability in corn, nitrogen rate and nitrification inhibitor impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, and crop response to micronutrient applications. He has served as Extension Coordinator for the Agronomy Department at Purdue and as Associate Editor for Agronomy Journal, Crop Science and Soil and Tillage Research. Tony has enjoyed being Co-Chair of the Indiana Crop Advisor Conference since 2003. In his spare time, he particularly enjoyed cash-crop farming with his own family from 1980 to 1998.
Current Graduate Students and Team
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Garrett Verhagen
Lab Manager, Graduate Research Assistant
I was born in St. Louis, Missouri but spent the majority of my youth in Issaquah, Washington, a small suburb outside of Seattle. I graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy specializing in Plant Breeding. I worked for the Vyn Lab in the summer of my junior and senior year as a student helper. For a year after graduating I was the full-time manager of the Vyn Lab. Now I am currently managing the lab as well as starting a Master’s program in crop physiology under Dr. Vyn. I enjoy spending time outdoors playing tennis/golf, staying fit, and spending time with my family.
PhD Candidate, Graduate Research Assistant
I grew up in Santa Maria, a small town located in the Calchaqui Valley area, in Northwestern Argentina. Before Purdue, I graduated from University of Catamarca with a BS in Agricultural Engineering, I earned a MS in Crop Production at University of Mar del Plata, and I worked as an assistant researcher. In August 2016, thanks to a Fulbright Scholarship, I started my PhD studies on crop physiology and plant nutrition under Dr Vyn’s guidance. My dissertation focuses on studying the physiological mechanisms behind kernel weight determination in corn as affected by Nitrogen availability. Besides research, I also enjoy singing with AC3, one of Purdue’s vocal ensembles, and doing community work with the YWTF of Greater Lafayette.
Quincey Tuttle
PhD Candidate
I grew up in western Kansas on a diversified farm specializing in corn, grain sorghum, wheat, and cattle. I graduated from Kansas State University in 2012 with a B.S. in Agronomy with a specialization in consulting and production. I then joined the workforce with a position at a Pioneer Hi-Bred research center in Garden City, Kansas where I focused on trait characterization in drought environments. After having a few different roles, I had the opportunity to move to Indiana and continue my education at Purdue University. I continue to work full time as a Field Scientist at the Windfall, IN Corteva Agriscience research center. My research is focused on characterizing transgenic maize in multiple management scenarios. I enjoy spending time with family, my wife Erica, in addition to riding my bike and spending time outdoors.
Brendan Hanson
Graduate Research Assistant
I grew up in Rochester, Minnesota where I enjoyed working on a dairy farm consisting of 600 Holstein cows. On the farm we also grew corn, alfalfa, winter wheat, oats, and forage sorghum. I graduated from North Dakota State University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Crop and Weed Sciences specializing in Biotechnology. While at North Dakota State, I worked in the Extension Agronomy department as an undergraduate research assistant. In this role I helped perform duties essential to the agronomic research process. I joined Dr. Vyn and his research efforts as a graduate research assistant where I plan to focus on precision agriculture and nutrient stress management for my Master’s degree. In my spare time I enjoy playing hockey, fishing, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Rachel Stevens
Research Agronomist, Ag Technologist
I was born and raised on a farm southeast of Falls City, Nebraska. I graduated from the University of Nebraska with a bachelors degree in Agronomy and a Masters degree in Mechanized Systems Management with a specialization in Precision Agriculture and Ag Technology. I enjoy spending time with my husband John and dog Maggie, cheering for the Cornhuskers, gardening, hiking, and practicing yoga.
