About

While currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Singh Soybean and Soynomics Lab, Clayton’s academic career began at Parkland Community College where he then transferred to the University of Illinois. While at the University of Illinois in the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences he received two bachelor’s degrees in Agricultural Science Education – Teacher Certification and Crops Sciences – Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology.  Upper-level classes completed in his Crop Sciences degree include Agronomy, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Biology. He also received a minor in Business from the College of business.

As a Predictive Plant Phenomics NSF National Research Trainee Clayton is currently investigating soybean root phenomics through traits related to root system architecture and nodulation. Clayton is double majoring in Plant Breeding and Genetics & Genomics with a specialization in Predictive Plant Phenomics. His work has lead to the development of the Soybean Nodule Acquisition Pipeline which enables researchers to effectively quantify soybean nodulation in early growth stages. He is also exploring the genetic components involved in nodule growth and development along with the traits related to breeding for unique root system architectures in soybeans.

Clayton’s research career began early as was named the National FFA American Star Farmer for starting his own business, The Sweet Corn Shack while helping operate his own crop production enterprise. While engaged in production he conducted personal research on the effects of insecticide on insect-resistant GM crops. During his time in university, he worked with the CRO Eurofins Agroscience Services as a research technician. He also worked in Dr. Brian Diers’ Soybean breeding laboratory as a research technician working on high throughput genotyping by sequencing.​ ​He also worked as a summer intern with Dow Agrosciences LLC as a Field Scientist in the Northern Crop Protection Research Division under Dr. Kevin Johnson. While working with Dow he was able to research and present findings on the Field Trial Performance of SmartStax® Hybrids on Sites with High Corn Rootworm Pressure.

​Prior to starting his Ph.D. Program Clayton was engaged in secondary education as a High School Agriculture teacher in Waterloo Illinois ​where he taught Ag business, Mechanics, Biotechnology, Introduction to Agriculture, Biological Sciences and Applications in Agriculture as well as Physical Sciences and Applications in Agriculture. He then served with AgriCorps for one year living in Koforidua, Ghana partnering with 4-H Ghana to develop and implementing hands-on teacher trainings with Jr High and High school ag teachers across the country while creating student leadership and career development contests held at a regional and national level. Further, he partnered with Moringa Connect, a Moringa production company that improves the lives of smallholder farmers across Ghana through Moringa production and distribution, as an agronomic consultant.

Clayton’s research career began early as was named the National FFA American Star Farmer for starting his own business, The Sweet Corn Shack while helping operate his own crop production enterprise. While engaged in production he conducted personal research on the effects of insecticide on insect-resistant GM crops. During his time in university, he worked with the CRO Eurofins Agroscience Services as a research technician. He also worked in Dr. Brian Diers’ Soybean breeding laboratory as a research technician working on high throughput genotyping by sequencing.

Clayton also worked as a summer intern with Dow Agrosciences LLC as a Field Scientist in the Northern Crop Protection Research Division under Dr. Kevin Johnson. While working with Dow he was able to research and present findings on the Field Trial Performance of SmartStax^® Hybrids on Sites with High Corn Rootworm Pressure.