Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  Michigan State University

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  My research is primarily focused on climate change and the impacts it has on plants and plant systems. My current work looks at defense compounds in plants and how these compounds lead to the plant's ability to compete. This also includes physical aspects the plant utilizes to compete with other plants and organisms.

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  What is best about being a scientist?

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

  The best part for me about being a scientist is being on the forefront of new research and exciting projects. I currently have the freedom to design my experiments based on what I find interesting at the basic and applied level. I also studied mostly plant biology and not too much on the chemistry side; Because of science I have been able to research in these fields I don't have a long experience in and work with other scientists on these exciting projects still.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

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

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

  I decided to go into the science field right before I started my freshman year of college. After one year of classes I started to try and get involved in a few research projects. I started with projects looking into solar energy in rainforests to track species diversity at one of our field stations. It wasn’t until my junior year that I was given a project of my own to pursue for an undergraduate thesis. With this project I got firsthand experience on DNA and RNA extractions. I also was able to go more in depth of a defense pathway in the plant species I was working on at the time. This is truly where my real science career and passion began. I now integrate my added passion of studying climate change and plants in all the projects I’ve designed!

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  What is tough about being a scientist?

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

  The toughest part of being a scientist is the times where something fails. The field’s purpose is to explore aspects of science that have not been before, or parts that haven’t been researched a lot. This leads to a lot of trial-and-error designs. This at times can sometimes be disheartening, but it does make a success so much better. Science also must deal with nature which at times is very variable and not easily predictable sometimes. Even with these parts, science is very fulfilling, and I love doing my job and research every day.

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

  2

  
  

Recent Posts

Quickest Stingray Connor Purvis Dec 12, 2023

Thanks for the update!

Was there a difference between the two that lost mass? Did one lose more than another?

How did this line up with your initial thoughts? 

Team MIWI Connor Purvis Dec 12, 2023

Thanks for the update!

Why do you think you saw these results?

Did what you saw like up with your initial thinking?

Quickest Stingray Connor Purvis Dec 7, 2023

Hi Garrett,

Thanks for the update.

What about carbon dioxide do you think made the water light?

In comparison, is there anything about the oxygen being made that would make the water darker?