Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  Purdue University

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  Plant ecology, evolution, and physiology, specifically how the three combine to shape plant communities. I am interested in interactions between plants and stressors, both biotic and abiotic. My interests revolve around how plants respond to stress, how plant responses to stress shape plant community dynamics, and the evolutionary impact of these responses. I have previous experience investigating plant-herbivore interactions, population genetics of rare and endangered plants, and currently I am involved with research concerning plant adaptations and responses to cold weather.

  
  
• 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 purple passionflower, Passiflora incarnata. The morphology of the flower is very unique, the plant has interesting physiological characteristics (extra-floral nectaries!) and has a suite of intrinsic "bug repellent" chemicals. This plant also is special to me because it was the subject of my first independent research, investigating the relationship between herbivores and induced defensive responses.

  
  
• 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):

  I HATED science class in high school! To be fair I hated most classes in high school. After high school was when I discovered my love for science, when I was able to investigate stuff on my own and didn't feel like I HAD to do something just for a grade. Once I was able to look at science as an opportunity and not an obligation was when my interest and love of biology began to blossom.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  Do you have advice for students about preparing for a science career?

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

  Find a general area you are interested in, learn all you can about those topics that interest you, and try to see how that can be used to guide your future decisions. I approached my undergraduate college career as one where I wanted to gather as many diverse experiences as I could and develop as many diverse skills as I could. Have fun with science when you are in school, don't let someone tell you that your ideas or interests are stupid, take charge of what you want to do.

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

  None of the Above

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

  2

  
  

Recent Posts

The Effect of Varied Nutrients on the Genetic Traits of Brassica Josh Kraft Apr 26, 2022

Hey everyone, just checking in on the project. You probably found the seed pod because you are growing fast plants, which as the name suggests complete their lifecycle quickly. How did pollination turn out? Are you able to get any phenotype data for…

more

Hey everyone, just checking in on the project. You probably found the seed pod because you are growing fast plants, which as the name suggests complete their lifecycle quickly. How did pollination turn out? Are you able to get any phenotype data for your punnet squares? 

The Effect of Different Amounts of Fertilizer on the Growth of... Josh Kraft Apr 26, 2022

Plants are looking good! How did pollination go?? Can you give me an update on your project? Also, what challenges have you faced so far? 

I used to have to pollinate Arabidopsis plants by hand, and that is not easy. I would love to…

more

Plants are looking good! How did pollination go?? Can you give me an update on your project? Also, what challenges have you faced so far? 

I used to have to pollinate Arabidopsis plants by hand, and that is not easy. I would love to hear your experience of hand pollinating the fast plants.

Investigating the Effects of Nutrient Saturation on Gene... Josh Kraft Apr 26, 2022

The picture of your plants looks good! How did the crossings go? Any questions drop them here, would love to hear more about how your project is coming along and what challenges you have faced.