Meet the grads: WVU environmental microbiology grad gearing up for big move ‘across the pond’

Corinne Hazel, a soon-to-be environmental microbiology graduate from the West Virginia UniversityDavis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, reflects on her time at WVU as she gears up for a big move across the pond to start her doctoral degree in Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge in England.

Hazel hasn't always had a plan, but that has never stopped her from soaring to great heights and blazing a path she was passionate about. Throughout her journey, she has learned to trust the process and let the pieces fall into place when they're supposed to.

"It sometimes feels like random chance the way my life has worked out. Saying yes to one opportunity leads me to another, and I just think 'why not do this?'" said Hazel. "My mom always taught me to ask, 'why not me?' Why can't I be a scholar who discovers cool things in research, wins scholarships, goes on trips and achieves all of these things I'm proud of? I've learned to just go for it."

That mindset has certainly worked in her favor. Hazel secured a doctoral research project at the University of Cambridge, discovered a new species of fungus, presented her research at many conferences, studied abroad in England, became a Goldwater Scholar , and was awarded a WVU Outstanding Senior Award, just to name a few of her accomplishments.

But Hazel didn't always have her sights set on th is path. She went until her senior year of high school without having a clue what she would study in college. She liked science and always had a love and appreciation for the outdoors, so she thought the Davis College would be a good fit.

After joining the Research Apprenticeship Program in her first semester and being paired with Daniel Panaccione , Davis-Michael professor of plant and soil sciences, Hazel discovered a love for research and decided to major in environmental microbiology, which is now offered as an area of emphasis in the environmental, soil and water sciences program, to better align with her work in the lab.

"I think I got really lucky getting placed in that lab. I loved the work right off the bat, and I immediately wanted to dive into that world even more. I had no idea what a career in research would even look like, I was just really interested in the work that I was doing," Hazel said.

Her love and dedication to her work paid off, as she discovered a new species of fungus in 2024. She made the discovery while working in the lab with Panaccione, studying how morning glories disperse protective chemicals called "ergot alkaloids" through their roots.

It had been hypothesized for decades that this fungus existed, but Hazel was the first one to actually find it. Hazel and Panaccione dubbed the fungus "Periglandula clandestina" because it is hidden within the plant and not visible on the outside of plant tissues.

"Discovering the new species of fungus is something I'm really proud of, and I had so much fun working on that project. I got to present that research in so many cool places, and that helped me feel so much more confident with public speaking and just being a scientist. I feel like I can call myself a scientist now," Hazel said.

After the whirlwind of presenting the work of her discovery, Hazel decided to study abroad for a semester in England, at the University of Kent. While there, she visited the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and fell in love with the beauty and vast plant collections. And while looking at their website, she stumbled onto a listing for the perfect doctoral research opportunity.

"The research project was just a perfect fit for me, it's like my dream project. The only reason I applied to Cambridge at all was because of this research project. It's similar to what I do now, working with fungal secondary metabolites, which are chemicals the fungus makes that aren't necessary for survival, but have other benefits. And in this PhD project at Cambridge, I will be looking at secondary metabolites in plants," Hazel said.

She was planning to apply to grad school, but studying at one of the world's most prestigious universities hadn't even crossed her mind. But when the perfect project presented itself, she thought, "why not me?"

After weeks of applications and interviews, she was offered and accepted the position and will begin her program in the fall of 2026.

"This project encapsulates a lot of the different topics that I'm interested in. I just love this stuff and want to spend all my time reading about it," Hazel said. "It includes the lab techniques that I want to learn more about, and the topics I want to focus on. It sits at the intersection of all these different things that I'm excited about. It couldn't have worked out more perfectly."

After graduation, Hazel will wrap up her work in Panaccione's lab before picking up her life and starting a new journey thousands of miles away.

While she is slightly nervous for this next step, she is excited and feels prepared to learn as she goes. She carries the scientific lessons and mindset from her research into every area of her life.

"One thing I love about working in a research lab is that you have no choice but to learn to just roll with things. You get unexpected results all the time, and you learn to build off of that. You can never predict anything with 100% accuracy, so it's best to take things as they come and figure it out," Hazel said. "And if I make mistakes, that happens all the time in the lab, it's just another day. It's all part of the journey."

Hazel's one piece of advice for other college students is to leave no opportunities on the table. She encourages others to try everything and go for what they want, even if it seems scary or out of reach.

"Try everything and see what fits. That's what I did! There are so many things to get involved in, your niche is somewhere here, you just have to find it. Don't limit yourself to what you think is possible for you," Hazel said. "Envision yourself doing whatever it is that you want to do and just go for it. I've failed at a lot of things along the way, but I've also had a ton of successes, and those are the ones that I really remember."

In addition to her other honors, Hazel was also named the Overall Outstanding Senior for the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Outstanding Senior for Environmental Microbiology, and received the J and C Nath Outstanding Honors Graduate Award from the WVU Honors College.

The Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources envisionsa West Virginia with healthy food, resilient natural resources, and thriving communities. To learn more about the Davis College, visit davis.wvu.edu. Keep up with the latest updates and news on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube by following @WVUDavis.

-WVU-

Sk/05/08/26

CONTACT: Sydney Keener

Communications Specialist

WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement

304-293-8986; [email protected]