Alumni Spotlight: Josett Clark ’26 Builds a Career in Soil Health

For Josett Clark, a recent Agricultural Systems Management graduate, a career in agricultural research started with a willingness to try something new. As a student at the University of Arizona Yuma Campus, Clark took advantage of opportunities to gain experience in different areas of agriculture, from soil sensor technology and Extension to field research and entomology. Those experiences helped her discover what interested her and gave her the hands-on skills to take the next step after graduation.

Today, Clark works as a Research Technician running the Blankinship Yuma Soil Health Lab at the Yuma Agricultural Center. Just weeks after earning her bachelor’s degree, she began working directly with growers, conducting field research and managing the day-to-day operations of the lab.

Clark credits her time in CALES, including an internship with the Junior Vegetable IPM Program and an independent research project on diamondback moth, with helping prepare her for the work she does today. Along the way, she also found mentors, built lasting friendships and gained the confidence to pursue opportunities that once felt outside her comfort zone.

What are you doing now, and what’s the path that got you there?

I currently work as a Research Technician running Dr. Joey Blankinship’s Yuma Soil Health Lab at the Yuma Agricultural Center (YAC). I began this position shortly after graduating, quite literally two weeks later, from the University of Arizona Yuma Campus with my bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Systems Management.

The goal of the Yuma Soil Health Lab is to provide local research capacity focused on the soil health challenges facing arid and semi-arid agricultural systems. My duties involve managing the day-to-day operations of the lab, including working directly with growers, coordinating and conducting field sampling, processing soil samples and analyzing data, maintaining proper records, and overseeing the research equipment and facility.

I truly feel lucky, and sometimes as though this role was made for me, because my education and professional experiences throughout college all led me here. My position allows me to continue learning and conducting research while working toward real, practical solutions that growers can implement in their operations.

What’s something you did at CALES that you’re really glad you said yes to?

Something I’m glad I said yes to was taking part in Macey Keith’s Junior Vegetable IPM Program at the YAC. If it weren’t for this internship, I genuinely don’t believe I would be where I am today.

Not only was I able to gain substantial hands-on research experience through my independent study project, but I also found opportunities beyond the research itself. I built connections with other researchers and industry professionals, applied for and received a grant, and attended an Entomological Society of America conference, where I had the opportunity to present research relevant to Arizona desert agricultural systems.

Overall, this experience helped build my confidence as a researcher and prepared me for the position I have today.

Was there a class, project, or experience that changed the way you saw your field or your future?

I would go back to my Independent Study on Behavioral Control Tactics for Diamondback Moth. While this was an entomology-based project, my internships at the U of A exposed me to various areas of agriculture, including soil sensor technology, Extension and outreach, and applied field research. Those experiences showed me the value of gaining experience across multiple areas of agriculture. With each internship and opportunity, I was able to go beyond the classroom and standard coursework and gain hands-on research experience.

My Independent Study allowed me to take that one step further by conducting my own month-long project. I developed the research design, collected and analyzed the data, developed a research poster, and presented my work. I had significant guidance along the way from my mentors, Macey Keith and Dr. Peter Ellsworth, who taught and supported me throughout the process.

Who was in your corner at CALES?

Someone who was always in my corner was my best friend, Rosaelba Soto Robles, who also graduated from U of A Yuma with a bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Plant Systems. I chose to write about her because we shared many of the same classes, experiences, ups and downs, and even our last internship before graduating.

I saw her almost every day throughout our education, and she became a constant I could rely on, whether I needed help on an assignment, we needed to squeeze in a quick study session before an exam, I wanted her opinion on how we should approach a task at work, or I simply needed someone to talk to.

She helped guide me to where I am today, and I’ll forever be grateful to have had someone like her in my corner during such a pivotal time in my life.

What part of your CALES education shows up in your life or work today?

Honestly, a little bit of everything I learned throughout my education shows up in my work today. As a Research Technician focused on soil health, I independently oversee the day-to-day operations of the Yuma Soil Health Lab. Some of the first courses I took at the U of A, including Crop Production and Agricultural Systems Management, helped me develop a better understanding of desert cropping systems and the challenges growers face within them, especially those related to soil health.

Other courses, such as Leadership in Agricultural Systems Management and Business Writing and Communication, allowed me to develop and strengthen skills I use almost every day. My role requires not only field and laboratory research, but also communicating and working directly with growers, researchers, and other agricultural professionals.

What’s one thing you’d tell a student who is where you were a few years ago?

To any student who is where I was a few years ago, I would say two things: say yes to opportunities you don’t feel 100% ready for or that push you outside of your comfort zone, and build a community of friends, peers, mentors, and others you can rely on.

From the beginning, it’s important to put yourself and your name out there, whether that means networking, getting to know your professors, advisors, and mentors, applying for scholarships and internships, or simply making friends. I always recommend reaching out directly to researchers, professors, and others in the industry and asking if they have any opportunities available. That’s how I secured two of my most impactful internships.

I would also encourage students to join organizations and attend club meetings, such as MANRRS, where they can participate in activities and meet people they may not otherwise cross paths with. I’ve learned how important it is to have people you can lean on and to be that person for others as well. I truly don’t think I would have gotten to where I am today without the friendships and connections I’ve made over the past few years.