Faculty Profile for Dr. Nicole Catherine Wagner

profile photo for Dr. Nicole Catherine Wagner
Dr. Nicole Catherine Wagner
Assistant Professor — Department of Agricultural Sciences
AG 206
phone: (512) 245-2130

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Dr. Wagner’s career spans 16 years of academic, government and nonprofit research, and analysis in the fields of sustainable agriculture and agroecology, as well as statistics and international agriculture. Upon completing her Ph.D., Dr. Wagner became a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Crop Assessment Analysis in Washington D.C. In this position she forecasted the production of the major agricultural commodities of all South American countries, with an emphasis on Brazil and Argentina. In 2006, she became an International Economist at USDA in Washington D.C. where she developed briefing materials for and organized Cabinet and senior executive-level meetings in Washington D.C. and abroad concerning agricultural trade policy issues. In 2008, Dr. Wagner was a member of the U.S. government’s delegation to the United Nations "High-Level Conference on World Food Security". In 2014, Nicole joined Texas State University's Office of Research Development, and in 2015 she began teaching in the Department of Agricultural Sciences.

Research Interests

resilient agricultural systems, fruit and vegetable production, soil health, soil ecology

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Boyer, H. L., Wagner, N. C., & Drewery, M. L. (2023). Effectiveness of mycorrhizae and vermicompost seed inoculation for germination, vegetative growth, cannabinoid content, and cured flower weight of CBD-rich hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research, 3(1).
  • (Waliczek) Cade, T. M., & Wagner, N. (2023). An investigation of the impact of compost tea applications on turf quality and soil microbial activity. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 41(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24266/2573-5586-41.1.1
  • Tritsch, K., Mix, K. D., Wagner, N., Sitienei, I., & Lankes, M. (2023). Challenges and Training Needs of Texas Small Producers:  Results from 2017-2019 Needs Assessment Survey. Texas Journal Of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
  • Wagner, N. C., & (Waliczek) Cade, T. M. (2022). An investigation of compost tea applications on turf quality and soil microbial activity. U.S. Composting Council, Compost2022.
  • Wagner, N. C., Morrish, D. G., & Juarez, M. (2021). Identifying the influential factors, benefits, and challenges of hydroponic shipping container farm businesses:  a snapshot of farmers’ perceptions. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 1–8. https://doi.org/doi:10.1017/S1742170521000211

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. 2021
  • Award / Honor Recipient: College of Applied Arts Service Award, Texas State University. 2020
  • Award / Honor Recipient: College of Applied Arts Teaching Award, Texas State University. 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: College of Applied Arts Teaching Award, Texas State University. 2018
  • Award / Honor Nominee: College of Applied Arts Teaching Award, Texas State University. 2017

Selected Grants

  • Wagner, Nicole Catherine (Principal). FOCUSSED: Farm Operations and Cultivation for University Students – Soil and Education Development project, USDA - NLGCA, Federal, $149937. (Submitted: November 2022, Funded: September 2023 - June 2025). Grant.
  • Morrish, Douglas, Pierdolla, Eryn Linnae, Wagner, Nicole, Omana Sudhakaran, Pratheesh. Research Through Agriculture Internships, Scholarships, and Experiential Learning (RAISE), USDA NIFA, Federal, $5000000. (Submitted: December 2022, Funded: June 2023 - June 1, 2028). Grant.
  • Omana Sudhakaran, Pratheesh O (Principal), Wagner, Nicole Catherine (Co-Principal). Economic Analysis of Organic Hydroponic System, Research Enhancement Program, Texas State University, $16000. (Funded: January 1, 2020 - Present). Grant.
  • Wagner, Nicole Catherine (Co-Principal), Raatz, Cecilia Jane (Principal). Developing a rain harvesting system at Bobcat Farm, Environmental Services Committee, Texas State University, $28000. Grant.
  • Asiabanpour, Bahram (Principal), Wagner, Nicole Catherine (Co-Principal), Huertas Pau, Maria (Co-Principal). Bluewater: A Smart Circular Economy for Integrated Organic Hydroponic-Aquaponic Farming to Empower an Underrepresented Workforce, USDA HSI Education Program, Federal, $249985. (Submitted: January 2020). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Undergraduate Advisor
Bobcat Farm
January 2021-Present
Graduate Advisor
Dept of Ag Sci M.S. Program - Integrated Agricultural Sciences
September 2018-August 2021
Member
NCAT Texas Carbon Farm Planning
May 2023-Present
Chair
Bobcat Farm Advisory Committee
2022-Present
Member
Environmental Services Committee
January 2022-Present