What brought you to UGA? I came to UGA because I wanted to go to a top plant sciences school and UGA felt like a great culture fit! It also happened to be close to some of my family in Atlanta.
What are your research/study interests? I study the evolution of temperature stress resistance in sunflower! My work involves screening the pollen of cultivated and wild sunflower species for temperature stress resistance and using that information to understand the underlying genetics of that resistance.
What has been a benefit of being part of IPS?/How did it help you select your program? I loved being a part of the IPS cohort and made many close friends right away. The supportive nature of the faculty involved in the program made me feel like the plant sciences program at UGA was the right place for me to grow.
What are your career goals? I would like to work in the start-up or non-profit sector helping to achieve food security for low-income families while promoting food equality in urban areas. Who knows what the future holds though!
Who is your major professor? Dr. John Burke