Ryleigh J. Kirby is a Ph.D. student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the Complex Biosystems program with an Integrated Plant Biology specialization; she is co-advised by Dr. James Schnable and Dr. Brandi Sigmon. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she conducted undergraduate research in the Schnable Lab beginning in 2022. Her research experience spans plant genetics, comparative genomics, quantitative genetics, and high-throughput phenotyping, with a strong emphasis on computational and data-driven approaches. Currently, she assists in teaching the introductory-level genetics course, PLAS 215, and will design a novel module to adapt Schnable Lab genomics research with undergraduate learning. Ryleigh has co-authored peer-reviewed publications in The Plant Phenome Journal and PeerJ, and her work has been presented at national venues including the Maize Genetics Meeting and the National Corn Congress. She also gained industry experience as a North American Discovery Breeding Intern at Syngenta in 2023, collaborating with breeders and senior scientists on breeding pipeline optimization. As a first-generation researcher, Ryleigh is motivated by applying genomic and computational tools to support modern breeding programs and improve the resilience and productivity of crop systems.