By Thom Jackson
The future of food could soon be sitting in your cereal bowl — and two Kansas State University architecture students have helped design a research hub to sustain it.
Seth Brooks and Hayden Cochran, fourth-year Master of Architecture students in the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, or APDesign, recently traveled to Senegal to present design proposals for an agricultural research building focused on increasing drought and heat resistance in dryland cereal crops.
From Dec. 12-20, 2025, Brooks and Cochran visited Thiès, Senegal, spending time at the regional headquarters of the Center for the Improvement of Adaptation and Drought, or CERAAS. Accompanied by associate professor of architecture, Todd Gabbard, they shared advanced architectural concepts for a major campus expansion aligning with CERAAS's mission.
"This was an incredible opportunity for students to see how their work can shape a real-world, global initiative," Gabbard said. "We enjoyed learning from our hosts, experiencing Senegalese culture and exploring notable architecture in the region."
During the visit, Brooks, Cochran and Gabbard met with World Bank donors, national agricultural officials and research partners, toured campus facilities and gathered feedback to ensure design and goal alignment.
This trip marked a milestone in a multi-year collaboration between CERAAS, the College of Agriculture's Global Collaboration on Sorghum and Millet, or GCSM, and the Department of Architecture.
Source : k-state.edu