![\"Austin](\"http:\/\/www.clarksvilleonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Austin-Peay-State-University-APSU.jpg\" "\\"Austin")
Clarksville, TN<\/strong> – Austin Peay State University (APSU) graduate Khadejah Scott\u2019s Epcot story involves wasps.<\/p>\n\u201cThey don\u2019t sting, and they\u2019re really small,\u201d Scott said, \u201csimilar to the size of an ant when they\u2019re at their biggest.\u201d<\/p>\n
But these wasps could deliver a big economic impact.<\/p>\n
![\"APSU](\"http:\/\/www.clarksvilleonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/APSU-agricultural-sciences-graduate-Khadejah-Scott-realizing-dream-at-Epcot-1.jpg\" "\\"APSU")
<\/a>APSU graduate Khadejah Scott is working at Epcot’s greenhouses.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
Scott is on an agricultural sciences professional internship at Disney World through the end of January, and she has many jobs rotating through Epcot\u2019s 2.5 million square feet of greenhouses, where food is produced for much of the park\u2019s restaurants.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve been to Epcot, you might know where Scott is working: The park has a 13-minute boat ride named \u201cLiving with the Land\u201d that traverses the greenhouses.<\/p>\n
The greenhouses also give scientists like Scott a place to research high-yield growing techniques, including vertical gardens, a giant trellised \u201ctomato tree,\u201d and hydroponic and aeroponic gardens.<\/p>\n
But Scott said the most important job she\u2019s had is researching those tiny wasps, which is part of Epcot\u2019s entomology program.<\/p>\n
Meet The Wasps – Opius Dissitus<\/h3>\n![\"Some](\"http:\/\/www.clarksvilleonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/APSU-agricultural-sciences-graduate-Khadejah-Scott-realizing-dream-at-Epcot-2-480x320.jpg\" "\\"Some")
<\/a>Some of the research Scott is helping with is on parasitoid wasps.<\/p><\/div>\n
Epcot\u2019s research focuses on how a certain wasp \u2013 aka opius dissitus \u2013 might make crops hardier against infestation from leaf miner flies.<\/p>\n
Leaf miners are an invasive pest that lays eggs directly inside the leaves of such plants as celery, tomatoes, potatoes and beans. The larvae damage the plants by burrowing through the leaves. Predators and pesticides have a hard time getting to the larvae because they\u2019re inside the leaf. <\/p>\n
[320left]Here\u2019s the weird science part: The wasps have the ability to find leaf miner larvae and lay eggs inside<\/em> them, which eventually kills the leaf miner. That disruption to the leaf miner life cycle can prevent crop infestations. <\/p>\nThe University of Florida lists the wasps as a potential biological control of leaf miners and cites the leaf miner research at Epcot. <\/p>\n
Realizing A Disney Dream<\/h3>\n![\"Scott](\"http:\/\/www.clarksvilleonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/APSU-agricultural-sciences-graduate-Khadejah-Scott-realizing-dream-at-Epcot-3-480x320.jpg\" "\\"Scott")
<\/a>Scott is working in the greenhouses at The Land Pavilion.<\/p><\/div>\n
Scott traveled to Walt Disney World with her family during spring break in 2015. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe trip was absolutely amazing and definitely made its way in the top 10 memories of my life,\u201d she said. \u201cWe visited Epcot, and it changed my life. I remember being overwhelmed with happiness, so much to the point where I thought, \u2018I have to work here one day.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Since that trip, she periodically looked for Disney World job postings. The third year was the charm, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am so fortunate to be working here and have had an amazing time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Planting The Epcot Campus Red<\/h3>\n![\"Scott](\"http:\/\/www.clarksvilleonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/APSU-agricultural-sciences-graduate-Khadejah-Scott-realizing-dream-at-Epcot-4-480x320.jpg\" "\\"Scott")
<\/a>Scott stands with a display about the wasps she works with.<\/p><\/div>\n
Scott, who graduated this spring from APSU with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture, went through three rounds of interviews before landing the Epcot internship.<\/p>\n
She credits APSU and the mentorship of Dr. Donald Sudbrink, chair of the University\u2019s Department of Agriculture, for her success. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been with me since I got here, mentoring me, teaching me,\u201d Scott said. <\/p>\n
[320right]The Memphis native discovered she wanted to attend APSU when she was in elementary school, while she was with her sister touring colleges. Although her sister picked another school, APSU stuck with Scott. <\/p>\n
\u201cI had really fond memories of Einstein\u2019s (Einstein Bros. Bagels),\u201d Scott said. \u201cI just remember having coffee with my sister and my parents.\u201d<\/p>\n
She kept fond memories of APSU through college, and now she shows full Gov pride at Epcot, where her name tag even has the University\u2019s name.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love rocking my Austin Peay gear, even here,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m always trying to get the conversation started about Austin Peay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Visit The Disney Greenhouses<\/h3>\n![\"Scott](\"http:\/\/www.clarksvilleonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/APSU-agricultural-sciences-graduate-Khadejah-Scott-realizing-dream-at-Epcot-5-480x320.jpg\" "\\"Scott")
<\/a>Scott stands in one of the gardens.<\/p><\/div>\n
Scott has a unique position at Epcot because she works in all the greenhouses. She described each this way (these are just a few of the details):<\/p>\n
\n- Creative<\/strong>: \u201cWe like to do things in a creative and fun way,\u201d Scott said. It\u2019s common to see plants hanging from a conveyor. An example: \u201cBrussels sprouts travel throughout the greenhouse on a conveyor, their roots exposed, and periodically pass through a misting chamber where they are sprayed with all the water and nutrients they need.\u201d The creative greenhouse also is home to nutrient film channels that feed into large fish tanks where the water fertilizes the plants. Plants include<\/strong>: herbs, edible flowers such as snapdragons and small vegetables.<\/li>\n
- String<\/strong>: \u201cAgain we do things a bit differently in our greenhouses,\u201d Scott said. \u201cImagine a tomato plant growing in a 4-foot-diameter pot, the vine climbing 7 feet in the air, and attaching to a trellis where the canopy spreads out 20 to 30 feet in each direction, producing cherry tomatoes that dangle over your head.\u201d There\u2019s also a nutrient film technique that uses gravity to move a film of nutrients and water from the top of the channel, watering and feeding plants along the way. The technique produces 2,000 heads of lettuce each month. Plants include<\/strong>: cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and wintermelon (an Asian plant that resembles a giant watermelon and can weight up to 60 pounds).<\/li>\n
- Support<\/strong>: This is where plants begin the journey, whether from seed, cuttings or commercial tissue cultures.<\/li>\n
- Research<\/strong>: \u201cSay we want to grow tomatoes,\u201d Scott said. \u201cWe\u2019ll bring in perhaps 30 different varieties of commercial tomatoes and plant them in the greenhouses then watch them grow. Research will document which have the fewest disease and insect problems, which have the best-looking fruit that lasts the longest, which are the easiest to work with and which tolerate the heat of growing in a Florida greenhouse in the summertime. Of those 30 varieties, we may only find one or two cultivars that meet our growing criteria, or we\u2019ll come across a new growing system we\u2019ve either dreamed up or seen on the market.\u201d<\/li>\n
- Entomology<\/strong>: These are the bugs. Scientists rear and maintain insect colonies, release beneficial insects into the greenhouse crops and maintain entomology-related shows. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
[320center]<\/p>\n
To Learn More<\/h3>\n
For more about the Living with the Land ride and the greenhouses at The Land Pavilion, visit https:\/\/disneyworld.disney.go.com\/attractions\/epcot\/living-with-the-land\/<\/a>.<\/p>\nFor more about Austin Peay\u2019s Department of Agriculture, go to https:\/\/www.apsu.edu\/agriculture\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Some of the research Scott is helping with is on parasitoid wasps.<\/p><\/div>\n
Epcot\u2019s research focuses on how a certain wasp \u2013 aka opius dissitus \u2013 might make crops hardier against infestation from leaf miner flies.<\/p>\n
Leaf miners are an invasive pest that lays eggs directly inside the leaves of such plants as celery, tomatoes, potatoes and beans. The larvae damage the plants by burrowing through the leaves. Predators and pesticides have a hard time getting to the larvae because they\u2019re inside the leaf. <\/p>\n
[320left]Here\u2019s the weird science part: The wasps have the ability to find leaf miner larvae and lay eggs inside<\/em> them, which eventually kills the leaf miner. That disruption to the leaf miner life cycle can prevent crop infestations. <\/p>\n The University of Florida lists the wasps as a potential biological control of leaf miners and cites the leaf miner research at Epcot. <\/p>\n Scott is working in the greenhouses at The Land Pavilion.<\/p><\/div>\n Scott traveled to Walt Disney World with her family during spring break in 2015. <\/p>\n \u201cThe trip was absolutely amazing and definitely made its way in the top 10 memories of my life,\u201d she said. \u201cWe visited Epcot, and it changed my life. I remember being overwhelmed with happiness, so much to the point where I thought, \u2018I have to work here one day.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Since that trip, she periodically looked for Disney World job postings. The third year was the charm, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI am so fortunate to be working here and have had an amazing time.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott stands with a display about the wasps she works with.<\/p><\/div>\n Scott, who graduated this spring from APSU with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture, went through three rounds of interviews before landing the Epcot internship.<\/p>\n She credits APSU and the mentorship of Dr. Donald Sudbrink, chair of the University\u2019s Department of Agriculture, for her success. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been with me since I got here, mentoring me, teaching me,\u201d Scott said. <\/p>\n [320right]The Memphis native discovered she wanted to attend APSU when she was in elementary school, while she was with her sister touring colleges. Although her sister picked another school, APSU stuck with Scott. <\/p>\n \u201cI had really fond memories of Einstein\u2019s (Einstein Bros. Bagels),\u201d Scott said. \u201cI just remember having coffee with my sister and my parents.\u201d<\/p>\n She kept fond memories of APSU through college, and now she shows full Gov pride at Epcot, where her name tag even has the University\u2019s name.<\/p>\n \u201cI love rocking my Austin Peay gear, even here,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m always trying to get the conversation started about Austin Peay.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott stands in one of the gardens.<\/p><\/div>\n Scott has a unique position at Epcot because she works in all the greenhouses. She described each this way (these are just a few of the details):<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [320center]<\/p>\n For more about the Living with the Land ride and the greenhouses at The Land Pavilion, visit https:\/\/disneyworld.disney.go.com\/attractions\/epcot\/living-with-the-land\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more about Austin Peay\u2019s Department of Agriculture, go to https:\/\/www.apsu.edu\/agriculture\/<\/a>.<\/p>\nRealizing A Disney Dream<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Planting The Epcot Campus Red<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Visit The Disney Greenhouses<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\n
To Learn More<\/h3>\n