Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  New York Botanical Garden

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  My primary area of research is conifer systematics.

  
  
• Do you have previous experience in mentorship or educational outreach? Please list here (200 words)

  I have worked with students K-12 in a variety of settings. I led school field trip tours at the New York Botanical Gardens on topics such as plant adaptations and native plants. Additionally, I work as a lab assistant and mentor at the DNA Learning Center in Harlem, a program where high school students investigate DNA barcoding related projects. I have also worked as a volunteer at events such as the World Science Festival, City of Science, and local Science Olympiad competitions.

  
  
• Which of the following best describes your career stage?

  Graduate Student

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  What is your favorite plant? Why?

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

  My favorite plant is the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). It was first described from fossils in 1941, but soon after it was discovered that the species was still extant! This "living fossil" is an amazing example of the tenacity of plant species and the importance of botanical research and conservation.

  
  
• 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):

  In high school, I was generally very interested in STEM, taking classes in biochemistry, computer programming, and biology. I was involved in Science Olympiad, which allowed me to explore topics such as ornithology, biophysics, and proteomics. I eventually learned about the field of bioinformatics, which combined my interests in biological and computer sciences, and continued on to a college degree in this field.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  What was the first science experiment you ever designed? How did it turn out?

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

  The first study I designed was during a student research program at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado. I found several historical surveys of a landslide site, and decided to resurvey the site and use the historical data to study plant community succession on the site. I learned a lot about field identification, dealt with a finicky GPS device, and became a lot more comfortable around cows! The study showed me how valuable historical data can be, and how much fun field work can be. It also showed me that a project does not have to be complicated to be a valuable contribution to scientific knowledge.

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

  American Society of Plant Taxonomists
  Botanical Society of America
  Torrey Botanical Society

  
  
• How did you hear about PlantingScience?

  Presentation at a Conference

  
  
• Availability

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

  
  
• Preferred Student Level(s)

  Elementary School Students (5th grade)
  Middle School Students (Grades 6,7,8)
  High School Students (Grades 9,10,11,12)

  
  
• Preferred Investigation Themes

  Celery Challenge (plant anatomy, osmosis and diffusion)
  What about Pollen? (pollen and pollination)
  Foundations of Genetics (traits, variation and environment in rapidly cycling Brassica)
  Agronomy Feeds the World (where does food come from?)
  C-Fern in the Open (sexual reproduction, alternation of generations)
  Tree-mendous Trees

  
  
• Challenge, ELL, Honors

  Academically Challenged
  Honors or AP - Advanced Placement

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

  None of the Above

  
  
• Videoconference Ability

  Yes

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

  2

  
  

Recent Posts

mhsstephensfall2021 project 2 Lydia Paradiso Nov 4, 2021

Hi team,

My name is Lydia, I am a PhD student at the New York Botanical Garden studying conifer systematics (the study of evolutionary relationships between organisms). 

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of project you guys come…

more

Hi team,

My name is Lydia, I am a PhD student at the New York Botanical Garden studying conifer systematics (the study of evolutionary relationships between organisms). 

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of project you guys come up with. Will it include growing some plants?

chslongfall2021 project 3 Lydia Paradiso Nov 4, 2021

Hi guys,

Nice results, were they in line with what you expected would happen? I can't see your poster too well from the photo but the graphs you include look good I am actually going to do a very similar experiment this weekend in a class…

more

Hi guys,

Nice results, were they in line with what you expected would happen? I can't see your poster too well from the photo but the graphs you include look good I am actually going to do a very similar experiment this weekend in a class I am teaching - I wonder whether I will see the same results.

Happy to work with you guys, I hope my feedback helped to design your experiment and think some more about the steps of the scientific process - sorry I was sometimes delayed with my responses! Good luck with the rest of your school year!

chslongfall2021 project 3 Lydia Paradiso Oct 19, 2021

Hi,

I like the idea of experimenting further with one of the original questions. Here are some comments:

Why limit yourself to only two test concentrations? And why 50% and 55%? If you include more test concentrations and space them at…

more

Hi,

I like the idea of experimenting further with one of the original questions. Here are some comments:

Why limit yourself to only two test concentrations? And why 50% and 55%? If you include more test concentrations and space them at even intervals - like 15%, 35%, 55%, 85%, you'll be able to make a stronger conclusion.

Your hypothesis is that the higher the salt concentration, the more bending will occur. Do you think it will be a linear relationship, with a steady, even increase in bending with higher concentration, or do you think at some point there will be a cut off?

Also, I assume that you specify cold tap water so that there is no effect of hot water on bending the celery. However, in order to ensure all the salt dissolves in some of the high concentration beakers, you may have to heat the water and then wait for it to cool off!

Finally, how will you measure the bending of the celery, in a way that can be compared between different test conditions?

Good luck with your experiment!