Rachel Brock is an undergraduate forestry student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is currently a junior in class standing, majoring in Restoration and Conservation Science. Rachel has worked in a nursery and assisted with consulting customers on project designs and plant needs. She joined the UT Tree Improvement Program to gain experience in field and greenhouse data collection, processing and evaluating bare-root seedlings, and seed collection and handling. While working for UT-TIP, Rachel is being exposed to research methodology and management of a multi-faceted research program.

In the 2022 summer, Rachel volunteered at the Cherokee National Forest where she collected data to measure the viability of seedlings for a future harvest. The data was analyzed to determine the management needs for timber stand improvement. Rachel is planning to seek a career with the USDA Forest Service, National Forest System with a focus on sustainable timber management.