Jamie Lynn Kostyun
Profile
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Time ZoneEastern
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OrganizationUniversity of Massachusetts - Amherst
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RoleScientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online
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Research Interests (300 words)I am interested in biodiversity, in particular, why biodiversity appears to be unequally distributed across the tree of life. I focus on the genetic and developmental basis of phenotypic diversity in plants, especially in the context of divergence during adaptation or speciation. For my dissertation, I examined the genetic architecture and developmental differences associated with floral divergence in a florally diverse genus (Jaltomata, Solanaceae). For my post-doctoral research, I am examining the developmental genetic basis of trait variation in maize and temperate grasses (Pooideae).
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Profile Question 1When and why did you decide to go into a science career?
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Answer the question you selected for profile question 1 here (300 words):As a child, I was always curious about the natural world, but it wasn't until late high school and early college that I began to seriously consider a career in science. During that time, I became more aware of the full extent of industrial environmental contamination in my hometown and surrounding area, which really underscored the importance of preserving ecosystem functioning and general biodiversity for me. I initially planned to become a conservation scientist, but have since shifted to basic science, examining the mechanistic basis of how diversity is generated and maintained.
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Capacity: How many teams at a time are you comfortable working with?2
Recent Posts
Genetic Plant Growing Project
Jamie Lynn Kostyun
Hi Team, thanks for the updates! Those plants are looking good - and I'm glad that you're seeing variation in them. Are you taking notes of which plants in which treatments have certain types of traits? Have you thought about how you…
more
Foundations of Genetics: Team Broccoli
Jamie Lynn Kostyun
Hi Team, to answer your previous questions -
1. Plants roots rely on a process called osmosis to absorb water, where the water molecules pass into the roots without the plant having to expend any energy. This only works because there is a…
more
Foundations of Genetics: Team Broccoli
Jamie Lynn Kostyun
Hi Team, thanks for uploading your data - it looks like Group A is doing much better overall! Will you measure other traits as well, or just focus on growth?
And you can call me Jamie or Dr. Kostyun (either is fine!), thanks for…
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