Paul Kasemsap

พรพิพัฒน์ เกษมทรัพย์

 Paul Kasemsap

~wondering how plants turn air+water+dirt into food!

1 June 2018 -

UC Davis Plant Breeding Center Graduate Student Spotlight

This is an excerpt from an article first published by UC Davis Plant Breeding Center in June 2018.

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Pornpipat “Paul” Kasemsap

Sawasdee Krub (= Hello! in Thai). I grew up in a jungle of skyscrapers in the city of Bangkok, Thailand. Yet, I was fortunate enough to have cultivated my love for nature through the time I spent in our backyard at home. I was drawn into farming because of my grandmother, who used to teach Floriculture. Seeing all the colorful flowers, especially her marigolds, always brightened up my day. You would find me after school “experimenting” with my plants, from trying new soil mixtures, to tasting different plant parts. Having learned how plants can feed humankind, economically, gastronomically and mentally, I realized I’m happiest when working with plants and gladly decided to pursue a career in Agriculture!

My official Aggie journey began at Kasetsart University, Thailand, where I got an Agricultural sciences degree, and learned about challenges facing farmers in developing countries from my classes and classmates. Then I spent two years at Wageningen University, the Netherlands, pursuing my MS degree in Plant Sciences, and enjoying rain and stroopwafel while nurturing some greenhouse tomatoes and growing Arabidopsis on salty water.

I’m about to start my third summer in Davis; still, it feels like yesterday that I just moved across the world to begin this new chapter as a Ph.D. student in Horticulture and Agronomy with Professor Arnold Bloom. At UC Davis, I get to meet all great individuals working on a quest to feed our hungry planet! I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join this challenge!
Paul's wheat research.
What is the best part of being at UC Davis? Working on my research, of course! I get to combine my passion for plants and climate change to make sure wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) maintain its nutritional value under conditions anticipated in the near future. Wheat is a major food crop supplying a substantial amount of protein as a part of human daily required calories. However, as atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration rises, it inhibits an assimilation of nitrate (NO3-) into protein in wheat grain. Breeding for wheat with less sensitivity to changes in atmospheric CO2 levels through improved assimilation of ammonium (NH4+), another inorganic nitrogen form in soil, may be a solution. Still, the ability of current varieties to employ NH4+ as their major nitrogen source, instead of the predominant NO3-, remains an open question. Therefore, the goal of my work is to elucidate the extent to which variation in responses to NH4+ exists in natural wheat populations and to address whether we can utilize this existing variation to ensure our food and nutritional security under future climate conditions.

At UC Davis, I have always felt supported to become “the best of myself,” so that I soon can help others in need. The following quote sums up what what I learned from my journey here so far: “We’re the Aggies: the go-getters, change makers, team players and problem solvers. We’re a unique and energetic community built on diverse backgrounds, experiences and expertise; and we’re intent on making the world a better place” (UC Davis: Welcome to the home of the one of a kind). I truly appreciate the variety of opportunities for professional development this community provides. This community also demonstrated to me the significance of collaboration; we don’t have to be an expert in everything. This is why we need to communicate with each other, within and across our fields of expertise, as well as with the general public. Combining our strengths always leads to a better outcome!

The love for my grandmother’s flowers in my childhood has brought me new challenges every day, and the journey still continues! I thank my family, friends, and all my mentors for their continuous support. With what I have learned throughout my Ag-exploration, I hope to work with international organizations whose works aim to address food security, climate change, and education. I encourage my fellow students to make the most of our unique journey; reach out and explore all the opportunities and resources available to us. Cherish our passions and keep experimenting in life!
The marigold textbook Paul's grandmother authored.

category: news 
tag: science  plant  gradschool 

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