Profile information for Michelle Paukett, Ph.D.
More information about Michelle Paukett, Ph.D.
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology
Short Bio
Dr. Michelle Paukett is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at Auburn University conducting research with Drs. Worosz and Sawadgo. She holds a PhD Dual-Title in Plant Pathology and International Agriculture & Development from The Pennsylvania State University, where her research focused on the role of commodity organizations in driving sustainable agriculture system transformation and sustainable soybean production practices in Pennsylvania. She received her MS in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University, with her thesis focused on modeling market impacts of the 2015 avian influenza outbreak. She studied both Animal & Food Sciences and Food & Agribusiness Marketing and Management to receive her BS from the University of Delaware, primarily conducting research on sustainable rice production and consumer perceptions and willingness-to-pay for produce.
More bio information
Education
Doctor of PhilosophyThe Pennsylvania State University2024
Master of ScienceTexas A&M University2016
Bachelor of ScienceUniversity of Delaware2015
Professional Experience
2026-Present: Postdoctoral Fellow, Auburn University
2018-2025: Research Assistant/Associate, The Pennsylvania State University
2016-Present: Project Specialist, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
2015-2016: MS Student/Graduate Assistant, Texas A&M University
2013-2015: Research Assistant, University of Delaware
Research
Dr. Paukett's research focuses on supporting sustainable agricultural system transformation through innovative, transdisciplinary research. At Auburn, she is part of the Socio-Agroclimatology Project focused on characterizing Alabama food systems, understanding decision-making regarding the adoption of climate-smart agricultural tools and practices, and documenting convergence within the research team.
Honors & Awards Since 2015
2023 Martin Stoner Scholarship Award, 68th Annual Conference on Soilborne Plant Pathogens
2023 CAS Graduate Student Travel Award, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
2023 Data Presentation Art in Phytopathology Award, American Phytopathological Society
2022 Herbert Cole Jr. Fund for Plant Pathology & Environmental Microbiology Award, Penn State University
2022 APS Student Travel Award, American Phytopathological Society
2022 Henry W. Popp Graduate Assistantship Award, Penn State University
2022 Global Challenges University Alliance Mentorship Program, Swedish University of Ag Sciences
2021 Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences INTAD Competitive Grant ($2,000), Penn State University
2021 Arthur and Rita Gaspari Memorial Scholarship, Penn State University
2021 Nature Art in Phytopathology Award, American Phytopathological Society
2020 Northeast SARE Graduate Student Grant Award, GNE20-237 ($14,986), Penn State University
2020 APS Student Travel Award, American Phytopathological Society
2019 Stewart & Christ Plant Pathology Graduate Studies Enhancement Fund, Penn State University
2019 Fusarium 2019 Workshop Travel Award, Kansas State University
2019 Magnified Art in Phytopathology Award, American Phytopathological Society
2018 Fund for Excellence in Graduate Recruitment Stipend Supplement Award, Penn State University
2017 Richardson-Applebaum Outstanding MS Thesis Award, Food Distribution Research Society
2016 Bonita and John Hopkin Scholarship, Texas A&M University
2015 Agricultural Economics Departmental Scholarship Recipient, Texas A&M University
2015 6 Undergraduate Academic Excellence Awards, University of Delaware
- Outstanding Senior Award in Food & Agribusiness Marketing & Management | Animal & Food Science Faculty Award | Dean's Award for Undergraduate Excellence | Hayward Scholarship |Genuardi Scholarship | Smith Award
Publications
Paukett & Esker. 2025. Commodity organizations as drivers of sustainable agricultural transformation: A cross-cultural perspective. Cogent Food & Agriculture. 2568989.
Griffith, Wise, Gill, Paukett, Donofrio, & Seyfferth. 2021. Combined effects of arsenic and Magnaporthe oryzae on rice and alleviation by silicon. Sci. Total Environ. 750:142209.
Paukett, Dharmasena, & Bessler. 2018. Revenue impacts of the 2015 avian influenza virus outbreak on United States table egg wholesalers. SSRN. 3185432.
Ellison, Bernard, Paukett, & Toensmeyer. 2016. The influence of retail outlet and FSMA information on consumer perceptions of and willingness to pay for organic grape tomatoes. J. Econ. Psychol. 55:109-119.
Seyfferth, McClatchy, & Paukett. 2016. Arsenic, lead, and cadmium in U.S. mushrooms and substrate in relation to dietary exposure. Environ. Sci. Tech. 50:9661-9670.
Seyfferth, Morris, Gill, Kearns, Mann, Paukett, & Leskanic. 2016. Soil incorporation of silica-rich rice husk decreases inorganic arsenic in rice grain. J. Agric. Food Chem. 64:3760-3766.
