Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  University of Massachusetts - Amherst

  
  
• Employment Status

  University / College Graduate Student

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  I am a PhD Candidate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Organismic & Evolutionary Biology program. I am currently investigating how the introduced plant species Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) will respond to factors associated with climate change such as increased soil warming and nitrogen.

  
  
• Which of the following best describes your career stage?

  Graduate Student

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  When and why did you decide to go into a science career?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 1 here (300 words):

  I decided to go into a science career during my sophomore year of college. I had just declared a major in biological sciences and I had a very supportive advisor who helped me apply to a two-year research fellowship that I ultimately received. My advisor helped me discover my interests in plant ecology, which blossomed (botanical pun intended!) as I worked with him during my two years in undergrad. It was then I applied to graduate school because I wanted to continue working in plant ecology and go on to hopefully become a professor someday who could provide the same support and mentorship that I received in college.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  Can you describe your attitude toward science when you were in high school?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 2 here (300 words):

  When I was in high school, I had a very indifferent attitude toward science. Even though I did well in those subjects, I initially found them impersonal and too analytical in comparison to my humanities courses. However, I had teachers who encouraged me to explore science through participating in science fair. Looking back on my experiences, I realized that even these simple science fair projects instilled in me an understanding of the scientific method and what it meant to confer scientific knowledge to others. In my senior year in high school, I took an AP environmental science course which set the foundation for my future interests in plant ecology that were fostered in college.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  Can you share a funny/interesting lab or field story?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 3 here (300 words):

  The first summer that I did field work in college, it happened to be particularly rainy. I was looking for samples of Bazzania trilobata to transplant, so I went with a lab-mate to a nearby old-growth forest where it grew. However, I didn't know my way around the forest as well as I previously thought. I ended up taking my lab-mate the long way around to find the samples we needed, but even before we collected the plants, we got stuck in the mud. I was so deep in the mud that the suction around my foot actually ripped my boot as I pulled myself out! Ever since that trip, I make sure to know where my field site is well in advance and wear very sturdy boots to prepare for the unexpected!

  
  
• Help represent the outreach efforts of your societies. Please click all those organizations you are a member of:

  Ecological Society of America

  
  
• How did you hear about PlantingScience?

  Partner Organization E-mail

  
  
• Preferred Student Level(s)

  High School Students (Grades 9,10,11,12)
  Undergraduate Students

  
  
• Preferred Investigation Themes

  Plants Get Sick, Too!
  The Wonder of Seeds (seed germination and growth)
  The Power of Sunlight (photosynthesis and respiration)
  What about Pollen? (pollen and pollination)
  C-Fern in the Open (sexual reproduction, alternation of generations)
  Celery Challenge (plant anatomy, osmosis and diffusion)
  Foundations of Genetics (traits, variation and environment in rapidly cycling Brassica)
  Genetics in Arabidopsis (investigation with a model species to track transmission of traits)
  Agronomy Feeds the World (where does food come from?)
  Tree-mendous Trees

  
  
• Challenge, ELL, Honors

  ELL - English language learners
  Honors or AP - Advanced Placement

  
  
• In addition to English, I am comfortable communicating with students in the following languages:

  (not set)

  
  
• Capacity: How many teams at a time are you comfortable working with?

  3

  
  

Recent Posts

The Four from Table Four Michelle R. Jackson Nov 17, 2023

Hi there,

Thank you for updating me on your hypothesis. This is definitely sound. It's great to hear that you are doing replicates too. Has your class discussed the light spectrum at all and how different plants respond differently? Also,…

more

Hi there,

Thank you for updating me on your hypothesis. This is definitely sound. It's great to hear that you are doing replicates too. Has your class discussed the light spectrum at all and how different plants respond differently? Also, will you have a control?

The Four from Table Four Michelle R. Jackson Nov 16, 2023

Hello everyone,

Thanks for updating me on your experiment. This sounds like a great plan. What is your hypothesis based on what you have learned about photosynthesis and light? Also, will you be doing any replicates in your experiment? Having…

more

Hello everyone,

Thanks for updating me on your experiment. This sounds like a great plan. What is your hypothesis based on what you have learned about photosynthesis and light? Also, will you be doing any replicates in your experiment? Having more samples can help understand your responses better.

The Four from Table Four Michelle R. Jackson Nov 16, 2023

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your patience with my delayed response. It sounds like you learned a lot with your Elodea lab. How do you think this new knowledge you gained will help with your next experiment that you're working on?