Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  Virginia Commonwealth University

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  Plant physiology with an emphasis on stress responses as well as taxonomy, plant diversity, impact of invasive species. Currently working on a project in an urban landscape focused on genetic diversity and changing climate conditions.

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  What is the coolest thing you have discovered or learned about plants?

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

  Just like animals plants have an 'immune' system. They can actually build up a defense response once they have been exposed to a pathogen or stress. This is similar to our immune responses, except plants don't do it with mobile cells in their blood stream. They can start producing compounds that travel throughout the plant and causes changes in proteins and structures that help protect the plant from future attacks.

  
  
• 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):

  While I can't pinpoint the exact point when I decided to be a scientist, science was always my favorite subject. I totally loved biology, there was always something cool about dissecting animals and seeing how similar they are. So when I started college I went directly for the biology major. I had, and still have a hard time figuring out what part of biology I like the most.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  What is best about being a scientist?

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

  I think the best thing about being a scientist is discovering new things (at least new to you) and figuring out how things are connected. I loved being able to discover answers to questions like "what happens when ....?". Each question leads to another question and keeps you going on a trail of discovery. I am always learning new things and having the challenge of trying to figure things out. I really enjoy the puzzle aspect of being a scientist.

  
  
• 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

shscasesweeneyccfall2021 project 3 Dianne Jennings Nov 4, 2021

What effect do you expect the pH to have on the celery bending?  Can you make a prediction?

shscasesweeneyccfall2021 project 3 Dianne Jennings Oct 28, 2021

Will it affect the pH of the celery?  If this what you mean can you explain why you think it might affect the celery cell pH? 

shscasesweeneyccfall2021 project 3 Dianne Jennings Oct 25, 2021

Juan,

  After completing the first experiment did you place the celery back in the water (no salt) to see if it became stiff again?