NDSU Master's Student Places First in Soybean Breeders Competition

Sawyer Goodwin, MS student in Genomics, Phenomics, and Bioinformatics Program at NDSU, was recently awarded First Place, Student Poster, during the 2026 James Specht Poster Competition. The competition was part of 2026 Soybean Breeders Workshop held Feb 16-18 in St. Louis, Missouri. The poster, Investigating soybean yield improvement in North Dakota State University experimental lines, showcased Goodwin's recent research under the direction of Dr. Carrie Dottey, assistant professor, NDSU Plant Sciences.

Goodwin, originally from Nekoosa, WI, conducts research focused on yield in soybean using a set of experimental lines that cross early maturing MG 0/00 ND lines with high yielding lines from later maturity groups. The goal of this research is increasing yields in North Dakota soybean varieties whereby positively impacting growers in our state. This research is funded by the North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) and the ND Soybean Council. Goodwin wishes to thank his advisor, Dr. Carrie Dottey, and well as his graduate committee, members of the soybean lab, Gustavo, Ben, and Cole, and friends and family who support him in remaining focused on the work.