Tyler Nece, a senior double majoring in Sustainable Development and Sustainable Business Management at Appalachian State University, recently completed a 10-week internship in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Awarded the Sustainable Development’s Summer Internship at CATIE scholarship in June 2026, Nece earned six hours of academic credit while gaining hands-on experience at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE). Driven by an interest in climate adaptation, rural development, and agricultural sustainability, Nece engaged in diverse research initiatives focused on inclusive green development.
During his time at CATIE, Nece participated in cutting-edge tropical agricultural innovation. His projects ranged from conducting fungal resistance research in cocoa and studying the genetic development of new coffee strains to building a tropical community garden designed for climate resilience. Nece also contributed to field operations in commercial plantain fields and assisted with integrating artificial intelligence into perennial crop management. Specifically, he worked with a machine recognition model to train AI in identifying optimal cocoa branches for pruning to improve harvest efficiency. Beyond agricultural fields, Nece even modeled in a sustainable fashion show featuring recycled Southwest Airlines seat leather, a CATIE initiative aimed at providing apparel design and sewing jobs for rural communities.
Throughout the internship, Nece relied on the critical thinking and problem-solving agility fostered by Appalachian State's Sustainable Development faculty. Working alongside graduate students, researchers, and community members from Costa Rica, Central and South America, Germany, and France, he gained meaningful cross-cultural experience. Facing unique tropical challenges, such as managing leaf-cutter ants and adapting to water-limited wet and dry seasons, Nece adapted quickly. His Spanish skills advanced significantly, enabling him to translate for visiting Penn State researchers and build strong rapport with cocoa plantation workers. On weekends, Nece explored Costa Rica’s natural landscape by rafting rivers, scuba diving, and visiting waterfalls and volcanoes.
Highlighting Nece's initiative, Sustainable Development Professor, Dr. Anne Fanatico, who recommended him for the opportunity, noted, “Tyler took on this work as an inaugural student and used his own initiative to create a meaningful experience for himself and international researchers.”
Nece's journey highlights how Appalachian State University and the College of Fine and Applied Arts prepare career-ready graduates through high-impact, real-world learning. By combining double majors across business and sustainability with projects ranging from sustainable apparel modeling to AI crop pruning, Nece took full advantage of transdisciplinary opportunities. Through extensive hands-on learning in the field and early exposure to emerging technologies like machine recognition, Nece developed the agile, critical-thinking skill set necessary to address complex global challenges as he pursues his professional goals after graduation next May.
About the Goodnight Family Department of Sustainable Development
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Goodnight Family Department of Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University prepares students to thoughtfully analyze human development while focusing on the applied practice of pursuing transformative, community-driven development with concentrations in agroecology and sustainable agriculture; community, regional and global development; and environmental studies; a Bachelor of Arts in sustainable development with a concentration in environmental studies; and a minor in sustainable development.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
Tyler Nece_story 26_thumb
Tyler Nece_story 26_thumb