Betsy Trana

Growing up in a rural Iowan community, Betsy Trana spent most of her time wandering around the countryside and helping her neighbors on their farms. She eventually pursued a bachelor’s degree in Agroecology from the University of Wyoming, where her passion for learning about plant breeding and genetics, as well as exploring approaches to practicing agriculture, led her to perennial grains. At The Land Institute, Betsy supports the perennial oilseed program by engaging with all aspects of the research, particularly breeding silphium or silflower, ensuring that the lead scientists, partner silphium researchers, and collaborators have access to the necessary resources to fulfill their work.

My most perennial trait: Amazement – Living things are fascinating! I spontaneously break out my phone to capture photos of critters for iNaturalist.

Betsy Trana’s research