Antonio Brazelton 

STEM in the Garden

Ujamaa Seed Teachers Present: STEM in the Garden, Friday, December 5, 10:15 AM

Vincent (Antonio) Brazelton Jr. is a native of Huntsville, Alabama, and serves as the Senior Coordinator of Research Partnerships at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK-FAN) in East St. Louis, Illinois.  

Antonio holds a bachelor’s in plant and Soil Science from Tuskegee University and a master's in Plant Genetics from Iowa State University.  Antonio’s 13-year agricultural career spans a range of prior roles across notable entities such as the United States Department of Agriculture and Bayer Crop Sciences.  

Beyond his role at the JJK-FAN, Antonio is currently a PhD Candidate at Washington University in St. Louis.  As a researcher, he is broadly interested in the impact of plant breeding/genetics on food equity and access in minoritized communities.  His dissertation work is focused on breeding for root traits for urban and low-input agricultural systems.   He is a firm believer in community collaboration and is using collard greens as a culturally relevant model for participatory plant breeding in East St. Louis.

Antonio is the proud father of a very active and inquisitive five-year-old named Benjamin.  In his time away from the lab, he enjoys trying new food, watching anime, and exploring parks in the city.