Entries by Plantae Community

Who Gets to Be in the Room? Making Scientific Conferences More Accessible

Scientific conferences are among the most valuable opportunities researchers have to connect with the global community, exchange ideas, establish collaborations, showcase their findings, and build professional networks. But apart from the people who attend, every conference has an invisible guest list: those who wanted to join but could not clear the many barriers in the […]

The Unforeseen Benefits of Curiosity-Driven Research

The Benefits of Curiosity-Driven Research It was only a few years ago when everyone around the country and world learned about the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), as it was a common method for testing for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Despite this, PCR has been around for decades and serves important roles in our society. This technique serves […]

Reimagining Undergraduate Teaching and Research

Setting the stage All of us remember sitting in front of a tutor and feeling completely inadequate for not understanding something that seemed obvious to everyone else. At the same time, many of us who have mentored students also remember encountering that one student who appeared unable to understand the material, no matter how many […]

The Plant Cell Features January, February and March 2026 First Authors

Behind the manuscripts are researchers, professors, professionals, and students dedicated to advancing the field of plant science. You’ve seen our First Authors on Bluesky, X and Facebook— now, read more about why they chose to pursue plant sciences and click on the links to read their articles. Vinod Kumar Vinod Kumar (he/him)  is the First […]

Why Does Plant Science Need More Storytellers?

The world has grown impatient, especially with science. People want information about things they care about, from people whom they can trust. Trust is built through stories that connect scientific research to everyday life. These stories must feel relevant, told by people who show what they care about and why, in language people generally understand.  Science journalist and author Helen Pearson notes that […]