Auburn University College of Agriculture student Leah Johnson has received a highly competitive collegiate internship with HudsonAlpha, a premier institute for biotechnology. Johnson is the first College of Agriculture Applied Biotechnology major from Auburn University to be selected for the BioTrain Internship.
Johnson has had her sights set on working with HudsonAlpha since the first day she took a field trip to their campus during her junior year of high school.
“My high school advanced biology course teacher took us to HudsonAlpha in Huntsville for a field trip. I could not believe the cool work they were doing in biotechnology, and it wasn’t far from my hometown of Hartselle! I knew right away that I wanted to work there,” Johnson said.
Johnson is one of the youngest collegians in their cohort this year. At only 19 years old, she is part of the prestigious Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) RISE (Research Internship in Sustainable Bioenergy) undergraduate program. The RISE program provides bioenergy research opportunities for undergraduate students from groups currently underrepresented in STEM fields.
By taking collegiate courses in high school, Johnson has only been attending Auburn since August 2024. With a junior classification, she opened many opportunities for internship programs typically reserved for upperclassmen. Johnson said her experience at Auburn University has equipped her with the technical skills and academic knowledge needed to excel in her upcoming internship.
“My coursework in the Applied Biotechnology program has prepared me for the internship. I have been invited to student development events on campus where I have gotten to network and meet industry professionals, and my professors have been so helpful to me,” Johnson said.
Research is at the root of Johnson’s passion for both her major in Applied Biotechnology and her interest in the work at HudsonAlpha. Currently, she is an undergraduate researcher studying herbicide resistance in green kyllinga, an invasive weed that is particularly problematic in turfgrass.
The internship program will allow Johnson to conduct plant research, specifically focused on sustainable bioenergy fuels. She is excited to spend her time collecting samples and working in the Swaminathan Lab and greenhouse, continuing the hands-on work she enjoys most. She will also attend the CABBI-RISE conference and be exposed to many career path options in plant genomics and biotechnology.
Johnson credits her success to the encouraging faculty in the College of Agriculture. She said her professors have been instrumental not only in helping her apply for the internship but in building her confidence in her skills as she begins this journey.
“Dr. David Held and Dr. Scott McElroy have been so supportive in showing me the opportunities that are available to Auburn students. The College of Agriculture is the right place for me because it’s like a family, and they are always looking out for me. They truly care about their students, and that is not like that at every school,” Johnson said.
Johnson is excited to represent the College of Agriculture at Auburn this May in Huntsville at HudsonAlpha. She is poised to have a successful internship and make a meaningful contribution to the field of applied biotechnology in her bright future.
