Cath W
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of California Riverside (UCR)
Expertise
Plant biology; plant-pathogen interactions; microbiology
Bio
My undergraduate education at Wellesley College, a small liberal arts institution, gave me the opportunity to not only develop my lab skills and build scientific knowledge, but also to work on my communication skills. My favorite courses were "Plant Biology" and "Russian Literature." In graduate school, I qualified as a PhD candidate, and will be earning my Masters in Plant Biology March of 2025. My research in a plant pathology lab is centered on unknown pathways of communication between plants and fungal pathogens. My current role as a program coordinator (for graduate student supplement/enrichment, funded by an NSF grant) has allowed me to engage in more mentorship-oriented conversations with students in the program. I've had the support of a range of mentors throughout my life, and I know what a difference a good mentor can make.Project ideas
Are Your Houseplants Happy? - Plant Experiment OR Literature-based Project
A review or research paper (or another presentation format) examining growing conditions that common houseplants require. Would include focal points such as grouping plants together to create humid conditions and details on common pathogen infections, like root-rot. This can also be a hands-on research experiment - learning about the scientific method, experimental design/setup, data collection, exploring potential bias.
GM-wOah - 'Product' based on Literature Review/Research
A science communication endeavor (podcast, blog, etc) to educate the public about genetically modified organisms (plants!) (GMOs). Focal point on one crop/organism (like apples or potatoes) and then going into detail about the process of generation/regulation/public acceptance.
Scientists are Wrong?? - 'Product' based on Literature and Media Review/Research
Scientists are facing a high degree of public mistrust. Everything from climate change and fossil fuels to species habitat preservation are consistently challenged. This would be a product (paper, video, article, podcast mini-series etc.) discussing any or all of the following components: history of science (w/ relation to public opinion/government), current conflicts (and how/where they began), systems of current conflict (things like large companies lobbying ($$$) for fewer governmental restrictions), potential solutions, projections (if things do/don't change). Another fun facet of this could be how science is manipulated in media - "this could be a contributing factor for cancer cell development, but there are other mechanisms likely at play" doesn't sell nearly as well as, "new target for cancer drugs discovered."