Profile

• Time Zone

  Central

  
  
• Organization

  Illinois State University

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  I am interested in conservation of our natural areas. I work in highly fragmented prairies in the midwestern North America. We focus on the impact of the landscape on success of the prairie plants and their pollinators. We study how the fragmentation impact the reproductive success of the plants and changes in the breeding system of plants. We also are interested in the pollinator community.

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  What is your favorite plant? Why?

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

  One of my favorite plants are pitcher plants - all species. These plants occur in low pH environments such as bog with low nutrients available to plants through the soil. So the plants attract insects in their funnel shape (meat colored) and trap them with hairs. The plant digest the insects and obtain the nutrients from the insects - as we do when eating.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  Do you have advice for students about preparing for a science career?

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

  Follow what aspects excite you the most. Prepare to focus much of your time research work along with other job. Funding focuses change. I recommend following your interest and keep an open mind for further research opportunities and working with others. Trying to follow where there is money instead of your interested is less rewarding.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  What is best about being a scientist?

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

  Best - is being able to explore news ideas and sharing with students. Also seeing the excitement students experience when they solve a puzzle.

  
  
• Availability

  I am NOT available, please temporarily remove me from the available mentor list

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

  2

  
  

Recent Posts

Team 3+2 Diane Byers Apr 27, 2018

Hi

Very nice poster. Great job presenting your hypothesis, ideas, methods and conclusions. The graph works nicely. Nice to see the final conclusions. Have a great summer. Be sure to take a walk in a woodland and look for ferns

cheers

Diane…

more

Hi

Very nice poster. Great job presenting your hypothesis, ideas, methods and conclusions. The graph works nicely. Nice to see the final conclusions. Have a great summer. Be sure to take a walk in a woodland and look for ferns

cheers

Diane Byers

Team 3+2 Diane Byers Apr 25, 2018

Hi

I am looking forward to seeing your poster. I am glad you were able to see them get to the reproductive stage.

Mass of the plants as you discuss below is likely not  a good measurement of the success of the plants but more associated…

more

Hi

I am looking forward to seeing your poster. I am glad you were able to see them get to the reproductive stage.

Mass of the plants as you discuss below is likely not  a good measurement of the success of the plants but more associated with the changes in moisture. I think the color of the plant tissues and your other observations may be more informative for determining the impact of the different light treatments.

I am interested to hear your conclusion

cheers

Diane

Team 3+2 Diane Byers Apr 19, 2018

Hi

I just saw your most recent post. I am not sure how fast the ferns should grow. If you look into the plates do they all have a similar color of green or are some lighter and others darker?

cheers

Diane Byers