My name is Chris Rudisill, and I am a Senior in Crop Sciences from White Heath, Il.  Growing up in the rural Midwest has given me a profound interest in modern agriculture; particularly cropping systems and agronomic performance of crops grown here in Central Illinois.  Working with Dr. Leakey, I have had the opportunity to help design and implement an awning system that will be used to intercept rainfall and help us further understand the implications of future droughts on crop production.  I have also spent time measuring photosynthetic gas exchange, which has given me a more in-depth view of photosynthetic mechanisms in Glycine max.