Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  University of Kentucky

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  GMO crops, the intersection of genetics and society, plant biotechnology, plant diseases, and plant pathogenic fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and viruses.

  
  
• 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 really like teaching students a new perspective or skill set that allows the student to see the world in a new way and interpret biological phenomena through a more objective lense.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  What is your favorite plant? Why?

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

  My favorite plant is the tomato plant because nearly everyone with a home garden grows tomato, and tomato plants almost always harbor diseases (which is exciting for a plant disease scientist!).

  
  
• Profile Question 3

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

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

  I did not like science as a high school or college student. I came to science after I graduated with a degree in English and Religious Studies and was looking for a job. What intrigued me most about science after college because I was able to get into a lab and actually do science rather than reading about it in books.

  
  
• Availability

  I am currently available for mentoring, please send me team match invitations

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

  4

  
  

Recent Posts

Levi, Brayden, Dustin, Susan Robert Louis Hirsch Dec 4 at 07:05am

Great job team!  For your observation about the warm water impacting photosynthesis: How would the type of plant impact this observation?  Do you think that temperature tolerances are the same for all plants, or could there be a difference?

Levi, Brayden, Dustin, Susan Robert Louis Hirsch Dec 4 at 07:03am

Great job on your presentation team, I am glad that you looked at temperature (which is changing more and more every year and stressing out plants in unpredictable ways).  I have one question about some of the words you used in your…

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Great job on your presentation team, I am glad that you looked at temperature (which is changing more and more every year and stressing out plants in unpredictable ways).  I have one question about some of the words you used in your "conclusion" and "what we learned" slide:  How do you know the cold and warm water killed the leaves?  Do plants die when the temperatures fluctuate for a few minutes between 60ish F (cold water) and 110ish F (hot water)?  If they do not automatically die, how could the temperature be impacting the biological functions of the plants, and what does this mean for ecology and agriculture? 

Lightningbolts Robert Louis Hirsch Dec 3 at 02:21pm

Thanks KrissyS (and MiloK from earlier), I appreciate you reaching out.  Light is more complex than we give it credit for, and we are still learning about plants engage with various spectra of light to grow and make our food.  Have a great…

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Thanks KrissyS (and MiloK from earlier), I appreciate you reaching out.  Light is more complex than we give it credit for, and we are still learning about plants engage with various spectra of light to grow and make our food.  Have a great week!