Sarah Smith, Kelsey Bryant, Laura Mason, Jen Hastings, Proma Basu, Zach Quirk, Colin Kruse, Al Meyers, Danny Wolf, panelists for the Plant Club on “What to do after College.”
Credit: Connor Hall
The Plant Biology Graduate Student Association has been active this year in mentoring undergraduates, judging science fairs, removing invasive plants, and more.
As graduate students preparing for careers in plant science, the group came together during the year to attend American Association for the Advancement of Science webcasts on professional development and women in science. They also mentored the Environmental & Plant Biology Department’s undergraduate group, The Plant Club by organizing a speaker panel to provide information on opportunities after college and how to use their education to position themselves as strong candidates for internships, jobs and further education.
Abby Goszka describes her internship experience through Chicago Botanic Garden for the Plant Club.
The graduate students used their varied experiences to discuss the relative merits of working vs. graduate school upon finishing an undergraduate degree. Students responded with questions for the panel, including what skills will be most helpful in their job searches and how to find an adviser if they choose to go to graduate school. One important outcome of this event was that many of the undergraduates sought research opportunities in Plant Biology labs,working directly with the graduate students they met.
Anne Sternberger and Tasleem Javaid judge a winning project by 7th grader, Sam Bikowski, at the District Science Fair. Judges at local fairs also included Oyeyemi Ajayi, Abby Goszka and Danny Wolf. Credit: Allan Showalter
Members of the Plant Biology Graduate Student Association also offer their plant expertise and enthusiasm to local school and community groups. Most recently members helped local schoolchildren with science fair events, serving as judges for local fairs and the District Science Fair and advising students on their projects.
Sarah Smith and Yuan Susan Zhang were two of the judges at the District Science Fair. They are pictured with Anru Tian (center) from Athens High School. Tian will represent the District at the International Science Fair with a project supported by the Wyatt Lab.
They also visit after school clubs. On March 28, Marion Holmes took a variety of plants from Ohio University’s Greenhouse to PRISM, an LGBT after school club, to give students hands-on experience with propagating plants, feeding carnivorous plants, and exploring plant diversity. The Morrison Gordon Garden Club of elementary school students will get help with their gardens on May 3 when GSA members visit.
The graduate students also work to protect natural landscapes. Their conservation efforts take them to a variety of wooded areas including Blair Preserve, where they removed a variety of invasive plants on National Public Lands Day, and at Rockbridge for monitoring an invasive insect (the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid).
Jack Monsted and Jen Hastings of the PBIO Graduate Student Association pull invasive plants at Blair Preserve for National Public Lands Day. Credit: Kim Thompson
They also organize a Stroud’s Run annual invasive garlic mustard removal event in cooperation with Athens Nature Conservancy. This year the event took place on Sunday, April 22. Plant Biology Graduate Student Association members dedicated time to removing this invasive mustard that was originally brought to the United States as a food resource. For the past three years, they have worked to prevent the spread of the garlic mustard in an area that is currently richly populated by native wildflowers. The invasive species removal was supported by the undergraduate Plant Club whose members also got their hands dirty on Sunday.
Others are welcome to join future conservation events. Contact Jack Monsted at jm048316@ohio.edu or Dr. Kim Thompson at thompsk3@ohio.edu for more information.
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