Profiles of Plant Scientists

A series by Alyssa Preiser Why did you decide to pursue science as you went through college, and what got you particularly interested in epigenetics and plant developmental transitions? I loved the documentaries of the marine biologist Jacques Cousteau so I chose to study marine biology at…

By Mallory Cullen, Conviron Scholar What is your current job and what does it entail? My current job is a molecular biology research associate at the University of Idaho. My job involves management of a potato molecular biology program. My job includes mentoring, everyday work at the bench, management…

By Samantha Connolly, Conviron Scholar Emily Millar is a biology laboratory technician. Emily works in a USDA carrot breeding lab at the University of Wisconsin, Madison on two main projects: breeding carrots for higher pigment color and breeding carrots for higher salt tolerance. This is Emily’s…

Why did you decide to pursue science as you went through college, and what got you particularly interested in rice stress and plant domestication?  There were two areas I had an aptitude for in college – science and journalism. I was lucky to get experience in both during my college days,. …

This month we are featuring Barbara McClintock. She was at the cutting edge of her field and many of her discoveries weren’t accepted until years later. She has contributory greatly to the fields of genetics, ethnobotany, and paleobotany. Dr. McClintock grew up as an independent and determined…

Sophien Kamoun is our plant scientist highlight of the month. He grew up in Tunisia and during the course of his studies, he has lived in Paris, the Netherlands, the United States, and now the United Kingdom. He is active on social media, pioneering ways to connect with other scientists and the public. Dr.…

Why did you originally decide to pursue science and what got you interested particularly in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi? I was always interested in science – biology and chemistry were my favorite subjects at school and I was fascinated by microbes and parasites. Also with microscopes and the possibility…

Why did you originally decide to pursue science and what got you interested particularly in plant hormones? I have always been interested in how things work. It’s the first thing I find myself asking whenever I see something interesting. Science is a great outlet for that sort of curiosity. My…