The Lamm Lab is getting a little more international and a lot more interesting! This Fall, we are excited to welcome two new graduate students, Gabriel Enrique Nardi Robles and Jamie Yu. Although they come from different sides of the globe, they share a passion for agricultural communication, a love of learning, and a desire to make a meaningful impact through research. Get to know our newest teammates below.
Gabriel Enrique Nardi Robles
If you ask Gabriel Enrique Nardi Robles where his story begins, he will point you to western Paraná, Brazil, a region where agriculture is a part of everyday life. Growing up there naturally got him interested in the agricultural sector and inspired him to explore how research, innovation, and public perspectives intersect, and how effective communication can support informed decision-making. Gabriel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Western Paraná State University (UNIOESTE) in Brazil and has called Athens home since 2023.
So, why the Lamm Lab?
For Gabriel, it was the lab’s interdisciplinary approach that stood out, bringing together agricultural communication, public engagement, and applied research. “I was particularly drawn to the opportunity to work on projects that address real-world challenges while collaborating with researchers from different backgrounds. I’m especially excited to strengthen my research skills, learn new methodologies, and contribute to projects that generate practical insights for both the scientific community and agricultural stakeholders,” he said.
What keeps Gabriel motivated is finding ways to make agricultural knowledge more accessible and relevant to different audiences. When he is not thinking about research, you will probably find him playing or watching soccer, traveling, exploring new places, visiting zoos, or spending time with family.
Gabriel says one skill people might not expect from him is his curiosity. Although he is not particularly extroverted, he genuinely enjoys understanding how people think and what drives their perspectives. “That naturally makes me a good listener, and I’ve found that people often feel comfortable opening up and sharing their experiences with me,” he shared.
Will Gabriel eventually become the Lamm Lab’s unofficial therapist? We will let the rest of the lab be the judge of that.
Chia-Hao (Jamie) Yu
Jamie Yu brings a passion for connecting agriculture with people. He joins the Lamm Lab with a Bachelor of Education in Adult and Continuing Education from National Chung Cheng University and a master’s degree in Communication from the Department of Bio-Industry Communication and Development at National Taiwan University. Originally from Taiwan, Jamie discovered his interest in agricultural communication during college after founding a student organization that helped rural farming communities market and sell their produce. That experience opened his eyes to just how broad and fascinating the agricultural industry can be.
He explained that many farmers in Taiwan have excellent production skills and a strong commitment to quality but often lack the resources or knowledge needed to communicate the value of their products and successfully bring them to market. “Taiwan has faced repeated food safety concerns over the past decade, which have weakened consumer trust in the food system. This made me increasingly curious about how communication can help farmers present the quality and value of the products they are proud of, rebuild trust with consumers, and gain better access to markets,” he shared. That curiosity has only continued to grow. Jamie says he remains motivated by a broader question of how researchers can use their expertise to create meaningful change across agricultural industries.
His journey to the Lamm Lab started with the lab’s publications.
Jamie said the research published from the lab introduced him to new ways of thinking about agricultural and social issues, and he was especially drawn to work that is rigorous, practical, accessible, and closely connected to real-world challenges. “Because the Lamm Lab works across diverse topics and brings together perspectives from both the social and natural sciences, I see it as an ideal place to develop a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of agricultural communication,” he said.
Outside the lab, Jamie enjoys coffee and photography. He also claims he can usually tell regular Coke from Coke Zero after just one sip. We have a feeling someone in the lab will eventually put that superpower to the test.
We are excited to have Gabriel and Jamie join the Lamm Lab and look forward to the new ideas, perspectives, and collaborations they will bring. Here’s to an exciting year ahead of meaningful research, new collaborations, and finding out whether Jamie’s Coke superpower is real and whether Gabriel becomes the lab’s go-to listener.
